I know build costs are high these days, but I'm thinking about doing a very basic duplex with a blend of sub-contracting and doing some work ourselves (siding, drywall, painting). 

I am buying up value add right now ( cleared and zoned land, dark buildings, blend and extend, etc.)  

I do honestly do suggest the paint wash/tint on the mortar of the repair to blend it in and, as others have said, budget "permanant" repairs into your CAP EX. 

States & locations you operate in, blend of commercial and personal, etc.At the end of the day it comes down to saving $ piecing it together with personal lines companies like Progressive, or saving time consolidating with a commercial program.

Depends on the bank, they might even offer you a blended rate to drop your interest rate to some extend.I hope you find this information helpful.

Depends on the bank, they might even offer you a blended rate to drop your interest rate to some extend.I hope you find this information helpful.

So my blended rate is a hair over 3% and I'm locked in for the long term.  

My goal is a blend of both, although it seems like the property appreciation is the more likely option for me, seeing that my analysis is showing that positive cash flow is not going to be attainable (initially), but that should change as rental prices trend upwards.Do you do a lot of the repairs yourself, or do you hire out the work?

I will borrow $450,000 (to include some capX reserves) from friends and family and pay them a blended interest rate, averaging 8% for 3 years with an escalator to 10% if I renew for years 4 and 5. 

You would not think that it would be feasible for anything but New York style ice wine.. but they do pretty nice cab blends  Kind Of like Aussie wines ( which I really like ).. but the point is all of BC wines are consumed in BC or Canada.. none of it makes it to the states.