if the owner is paying the utilities , go count the meters and verfy that the buildings are legal 9 families, there should also a public landing meter for each building for the hallways and out door lighting . i dont know what state your in but also make sure the tenants aren't on some sort of programs where the landlord is required pay the utilities to have the tenants .

Triplex or larger is key because then your other units pay your entire mortgage and you’re living rent free.

I sort of fell into Wilmington and the numbers made sense that's why I'm investing there.

:As a true blue atheist I don't pay any attention to this type of babbling but if it were to happen no one will continue to exict so who cares.Do you really have to believe in any sort of God to believe that nothing lasts forever?

Do you think through real estate investing, you can use those funds to facilitate a larger return? 

It sounds like a good idea for us to start from fresh, level out our house, rebuild with townhomes, sell, take our earnings and really start investing with a larger amount of money. 

And buying larger individual residential rental doesn't seem generate same return rate (If anyone think I am wrong, please chime in).

What size is the unit, larger homes might be a bigger isaue but people can stay with family temporarily.

Small community bank may do this as well.stay away from larger institutions.. small one to 5 branch community bank that you can talk with the owners of .. that's were you will find the love.. 

@Jason Wu I would probably advise keeping each property in its own LLC/LP with a larger entity either owning the other entity/being the general partner.