If investment is a major part of your plan, ask each about their expectations and support for investment-focused agents.

I plan on occupying the upstairs unit until the tenant’s lease expires downstairs.

Good luck.If you're planning on being an LLC, do that first before all of the above.

My cousin has stepped up to fill the financial need, but I still will require in person guidance when planning the rental launch late this year or early next year. 

However, there are also single family properties that can offer great returns as well.As for navigating buying a duplex with tenants, it's important to do your due diligence and review the current lease agreements to see if they will fit your plans as a landlord.

Not looking to game the system and using the property for ourselves is part of the plan as it's where we normally vacation anyway, so considering that the 10% down payment is much more appealing if we are able to balance out the rules and keep the cash flow positive. 

If you plan to scale your vacation rental empire you may consider outsourced management.

2014The plan: Fix credit (destroyed from divorce and stupidity of a youth misspent).

I plan to rent for a year if I do sell this.

A business does not base their business plan on possible RE appreciation and sale of that building.