They are higher touch and based in CA, which would be a benefit to you.

Will be in touch!

For scaling, you likely do not want to touch your current loan.  

If you are living with your parents and plan on doing so for the next 2 years, I'd make sure you are paying rent and by that I don't necessarily mean to your parents but putting that money aside and not touching it. 

If there is nothing to compare, most lenders won't even touch it.

Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC): If you have significant equity in your existing duplex, a HELOC could provide funds for further real estate investment without touching your retirement accounts.3. 1031 Exchange: If you decide to sell your current duplex, a 1031 exchange could allow you to defer capital gains taxes and reinvest in larger properties.4.

The crime rate seems a touch on the high side, but there is a ton of investing going on.

Upgrading on seemingly frivolous touches in LTR won't pay off in the rent increase (if you even get one).   

Also always stay with the people at showings to make sure none of the tenants' belongings are touched or taken.

If Jesus came back and got into rentals NO, N-O-B-O-D-Y get's admin access into our system. 2) They want a standardized list for maintenance items so they know in advance what repairs would cost.Being a PMc I'd invite them to acquire any of the readily available construction estimating tools/software out there such as RSMeans, but would not take on such a task as building and maintaining such a database, honestly for any $, it's simply not what we do. 3) They want a copy of all invoices from contractors to us so they can verify we are not marking up more than promised.A-ok. 4) They want to be able to talk to our contractors before work is done (each time) so they can talk contractors down in price themselves.I'd be fine with this as long as they sign a waiver that they own any/all negative impacts that result from such including extended vacancy periods, vendor refusals of service necessitating there own self-search to secure amicable vendor etc etc.. 5) They mentioned that they pay around $300 for full paint in a 2-bedroom unit.... we do not have a contractor that will touch a full paint on a 2 bedroom for $300LMAO!