It will take a while.You also will find that as you reduce the LTV, you can make it work.

If you properly reported that as you should, now your taxable income is reduced to $1,000 ($5,000-$4,000) and at your 22% tax you would owe $220 on that income.In short, your paying too much in income taxes today and a visit to a CPA is likely going to save you money. 

I had clients go the Designed to Earn the Energy Star route over LEED a bunch.

This will reduce your overall tax bill.

Wholesaling is a great way to earn quick cash to help jumpstart your real estate goals.  

For us that has been housing and employementFor example, we have ALWAYS worked really hard to reduce our housing cost.

I have reduced the rent by $200 a month as a winter-teaser rate till July, and will see how this goes:-) Sorry for not being able to thank each one of you individually -- I really appreciate you taking the time to help out a (frustrated) small investor! 

Supply/demand: your supply of "one 55+ duplex" isn't going to change, but the number of 55+ people 'demanding' to live in it might drop off, drastically reducing rents and/or resale value.

There could be better fit ways to earn more cash flow faster with same amount of investment/expense.

If on the outside it looks like there's a shipping container in the back yard with a couple window cutouts, that might not make the neighbors happy, and might reduce the value of the main house.