We now own a highly desirable duplex with instant equity, cash flow, low money down, and a locked interest rate.

I think SoCal is pretty awesome personally...we visit pretty often...love hanging in Balboa Park...beautiful scene...nothing quite the driving the 1 up the coast...last time there we drove LA to SF on the 1 and immediately starting looking for local RE.Hope to see the ADU restrictions lighten up soon...that's really the key to starting to bring our housing markets into balance...there really is no such thing as a housing shortage...dwellings exist in every 2-car garage in America...and definitely a win-win if you can build on your own parcel in SoCal.I think at the end of the day it's the barrier to entry...for most guys starting out with $50k in capital, SoCal is not on the list of places to look.Oh, and don't forget about Lake Erie ;) 

We now own a highly desirable duplex with instant equity, cash flow, and no money invested.

I instantly thought to myself that's strange I bet DJ contacted him and told him to write something positive.

This instant gratification era will learn. 

no -  I'd love to get insurance and would like to know how to do it.I called my regular agent and she said they would do fire and dwelling but nothing else.   

Since I come from nothing, I figure I CAN make it there through a diverse portfolio of investing, starting my own airbnb arbitrage business, and dwelling into real estate can create a cash flow and possibly appreciation over time and I will be able to get to the point where I can invest into owning my own resort! 

In C class dwellings you will have some tenants with such cheap or homemade furniture that they will damage either.

If it is a rental you would get a Dwelling Fire (some companies call them a Landlord) policy.  

I know HELOCs can be a great way to get some instant liquidity, thats why I figured my only options would be fix & flips/BRRRR properties, but I wanted to hear from people like yourself and others here who are much more experienced than myself!