However, those run around $330k - $420k for one within central/north area in Austin.A great thing about duplexes is that you can do a 5% down if it is owner-occupied and the banks include 75% of the rent on the other side toward your income when the banks calculate your rent/debt ratio if it is rented with an official lease.If I was in your shoes, I would try to save some cash and try to go for the duplex or a house where you can turn it into a duplex.I have 2 units that cash flow pretty well and I have 1 that is more of an appreciation play.

Again, you have to slide into their shoes, their existence, their world. 

That will be one of my cue's to SELL SELL SELL before the shoe drops.

I believe you need to put yourself in the shoes of all possible suitors.

Keep it simple and put yourself in the shoes of every party and ask yourself "would I take this deal & why".

The video really showcases the differences.

I'd love to know the area so well that, by the time I have the down payment and I'm pre approved for the mortgage, I will be able to spot a good deal.What would you guys do if you were in my shoes?

@Nate Ginsberg, as @Erik Hatch suggested, the Census is a great resource for ascertaining this kind of information.Here is a graphic I made showcasing the distribution of structures by unit counts in College Station, TX.The graph on the right further breaks it down by showing renter and owner occupancy figures by the number of units in the structure.Hope this helps! 

This is the perfect project for a contractor who doesn't mind the publicity and wants to showcase their work (when these houses hit the market, it makes news)  However, where does this leave us? 

If you were in his shoes, would you sell it for anything less than $100K other than out of the goodness of your heart?