There are many people here on the forums that are so resourceful and can give advice to almost any hurdle in your journey

What are some tools that people use to figure out what comparable homes/units are charging tenants for rent in an area you're interested in investing in?

Good morning aqsaYou can find Property managers who will do that for youYes you can start with BRRR and connect with people who invest in midwest on this forum and they can guide you

But my guess is to the reason why people who own a duplex and if they are an investor they don't worry about the mortgage because they have the tenants paying the rent which pays off their mortgage and also have extra left over (cashflow).

There are strong macro factors to include migration, job increase, and quality of life that will be bringing people into the area for years to come.

Are there people who share an environmental passion & approach on this forum. 

A lot of investors prefer to use OPM (Other Peoples Money) even if they have the capital to purchase it all cash.

The one thing some people don't like, is that you can't choose what software to use.

This is a great place to learn and to connect with people so take advantage of all the great resources.

These loans come from people or groups, not usual banks, and are often used to buy properties, refinance, or fix them up.