Looking at this from a purely business perspective, it's certainly the right thing to do. 

It can be a little bit like drinking from a firehouse when you’re starting but it sounds like you already have an entrepreneur mindset which is half the battle.

I have some non-finance reasons for buying this house (to provide housing for one of my adult kids), but I'd also like to evaluate the deal on its own merits, so if we don't end up using it for Adult Kid, I will have a good feel for whether this was/is a decent deal from a pure financial position. 

This one brings in $2,915/mo in gross income with roughly $700/mo pure cashflow after mortgage PITI, property management, maintenance, CAPEX, and 8% estimated vacancy; pro forma 14.5% cash on cash return.

Would love to know if SFHs have actually been ahead of duplexes/other multifamily units in terms of pure appreciation (as would be expected)?

That hasn't, in my experience been any issue purely just used for informational purposes.

Is there a good way to track that other than pure local hearsay?

Just looking at it from a pure investment standpoint and you put the cost of points into the S&P500 letting it grow for 30 years (Assuming a 7% ROI) would makeup for the extra interest if you were to not pay for points. 

These guys are trying to take you for a ride.The siding is purely cosmetic...

> Willing and eager to do grunt work purely for the education until my value is objectively demonstrated.