So for the next half of my career, we plan on gathering as much knowledge needed through these forums, connections, and articles to successfully delve into our real estate venture. 

Then from that value you subtract expenses to lease up, the lost rent during lease up time, commissions etc. but also give a credit for less variable expenses since the property is only half full.But if the seller knows you are to be occupying he will try to negotiate these expenses down because your occupancy will cure all these shortfalls the day you move in. 

When you sell, the contractor gets his costs to rehab out first, and half the remaining profit. 

See Chris' response -- you're living in one half, you need to live somewhere, so how does the amount you're paying compare to market rents? 

@Steve SprowlsHello Steve,I would check out meetup.com and do a search on "multifamily" within a certain number of miles from Ft Worth.

Quarter mile radius or neighborhood.

Gangs from California moved into hill top Tacoma + recession and it turned there investment strategy upside down and lost half the properties.

Finished walkout basement with half-kitchen.

It was surprisingly easy.My major challenge is that I have been managing major rehabs from half-way across the world.

Just because during off hours I can go from my office on Mill Plain to my house in SE Portland in only 20min, the majority of the time, the traffic is really bad and I have heard horror stories of it taking 3 hours to go 15 miles....