I'm still relatively new, but from my experience reading here on BP, along with speaking to other investors, there are several towns that a buy and hold investor could breathe a bit with not-too-high taxes.  

It seems fixing and selling to a buy and hold investor might be an exit strategy.I think if you can get that 75-70K in his head as a basis for a potential exit price, you might end up at a price that is low enough might work.He doesn't seem motivated/distressed enough that it will get the deep discount to make it work as a flip.One thing that might make the property attractive to a landlord is the potential for the neighborhood to take a turn for the better - assuming it is really there.  

So, as Ned mentioned, doing some work yourself to ensure what you present isn't off the deep end, will get you past being turned down and save you money.Next, what can you do for them?

The reason I didn't go for it was that it the duplex was built on the edge of a deep slope down into water.

This is my first post on the Deep Pockets forum.  

A rental can be the road to financial freedom but if your pockets are not deep enough they can quickly be the road to financial imprisonment.Your goal should be to make as much as you can with as little risk possible without adding to your workload (opportunity costs).  

J-Christ-on-a bike, that takes my breath away (but I don't live in TX, maybe that's normal there) Anyway- my point (and I do have one, lol) is that I think you would benefit by narrowing down what exactly you are trying to achieve.

He has very deep experience with REI locally and around the country.

That was pretty deep @Deano Vulcano , much love for sharing.

When I bought my first house (back in Atlanta), I had no idea about anything REI and I was convinced buying my own house was of course the best investment I could make...only to learn now that I'm knee-deep in REI that it's far from that great of an investment.