We're considering the following options:1) Purchasing a single family/duplex and renting it out, continuing to live in and house hack our current house and building equity slowly.2) Purchasing a duplex, rent out one side and live in the other, rent out current house.

Ask any property manager who's taken over a building or two from a self-service landlord.There are two things one needs to get into real estate investing. 

One in my building was 850, 4 months ago, now 610k, BTW where is the prop located he got a 20% higher then expected? 

In manufacturing, it is easier to track as you are building a widget over and over.

This is going to depend greatly on where you are building.

I agree but first time owning a 4 unit building, my attorney suggested giving them 2 months free rent to avoid any exposure but they're definitely trying to shake me down. 

Thank youZoning may be a problem, but building codes for home health care facilities will stop you in your tracks.

The goal here was to allow the borrower to build-up cash reserves to get his operations stabilized and the assets in a position to be refinanced.

I am seeking to help those that can mentor me and find very good deals in the counties surrounding DC, specifically the ones in Maryland and west Virginia that are roughly 50 miles away.

If you go far enough, I'm sure there are other mixed use buildings.