Some great answers, my intent would not be to spend the $$ on the investment property but to pay off the mortgage on the primary.

There are investors out there that put large amounts down, such as 50% or more and those that pay cash.

I’m 41 a mom of 3 and working on paying off my second home through owner financing.

On another note, the whole paying into the property should be on top of the required mortgage otherwise you end up paying a higher share since you have the money down upfront. 

The duplexes had 3 of 4 units rented, and only one tenant is actually paying rent.

I mean… Would we even get THAT much more in the end with a realtor, given that (as I understand it), most investors pay all closing costs and we wouldn’t have to pay a realtor fee?

So now my next purchase is going to be solely with the goal of cash flow in mind to help offset what I'm currently paying out of pocket.

It would have been nice to pay lower for the property but from what I can see from the appraisal, the appraiser took into account properties with similar rent values which brought the appraised value back up the second time around. 

Never choose the cheapest bid.. or you’ll pay..

It may sound nice to pay a 6% management fee but the extra fees can add up to be more than the other company that charges 10% with no additional fees.