A liquid additive like the following might be just the ticket:https://www.homedepot.com/p/Custom-Building-Products-StainBlocker-32-oz-Stain-Resisting-Admixture-Additive-for-Grout-SBG32/202525433 If you're looking for an off-white grout, I would feel confident recommending either Antique White or Bone with the above liquid additive.

The 'new' debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) driven products are more attractive, though, IMHO. 30-yr fixed rate, 30-yr term, rates in the 4s (right there / better than banks) and no debt to income ratio BS.

David Greene just wrote a good book about getting started called "SOLD" and in the BiggerPockets bookstore.

Sound barrier performance is based on density of the product. 

There aren’t many cases where you can choose which product to use and have them both make sense.

students deserve nice places to live. we aren't trying to be slumlords but i do realize that students probably have slightly lower expectations than other types of tenants, so i feel we wont need to break the bank in the level of finishing details like we did on our own home but we will provide housing that is clean and safe and attractive. also thinking we can use some creative materials and methods to make the units party-proof. maybe we get lucky and find some long term professors or grad students and don't have to do annual turnover on every unit. even so, i budgeted 8% for property management after watching david greene's webinar yesterday.the heloc would allow for an easy down payment and a nice buffer for rehab, and i have 750+ credit score and good wage earning history, so i think a conventional loan should not be a problem to obtain. a cash out refi might be an option on the horizon if we decide to really crank a proper rehab but the units (from the pictures i saw) are livable as-is.should i be more specific here on the address/market to get better help?

Read David Green's book on BRRR and understand the approach, but need to decide on a region. 

Read David Green's book on BRRR and understand the approach, but need to decide on a region. 

These local prices are running up quickly, so "deals" are a lot harder to find.If you're having a good experience so far with this house, you might want to look into the FHA 203k loan product for your next project (if you haven't already). 

By buying the duplex with an FHA or other similar low down payment product that can keep your capital to buy an investment property.