I'm currently getting ready to close on my first duplex in the next week or two after saving for quite a while. 

Hey guys, I am about to begin remodeling a duplex.

I’d research buying a duplex, triplex, or four-plex to live in one unit and rent the others out.

She actually complained in one sentence about the water damaged walls and her son's asthma.

So this duplex I have is rented with section 8 tenants.  

I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t find a duplex. 

There was a final walk through of the property, but, as I didn't know about the pipe burst, I didn't know to look for water damage (even after I was made aware of this problem, with an untrained eye, it's hard to notice issues besides some sagging drywall and water drips on parts of the wall) and some part of the wood floor coming up outside of the bathroom door.

You might average 5% with a duplex in the short term, and as long as the economy stays strong.

The minimum openable area to the outdoors shall be 4 percent of the floor area being ventilated.Heat Source- RequirementsR303.9 Required heating.When the winter design temperature in Table R301.2(1) is below 60°F (16°C), every dwelling unit shall be provided with heating facilities capable of maintaining a minimum room temperature of 68°F (20°C) at a point 3 feet (914 mm) above the floor and 2 feet (610 mm) from exterior walls in all habitable rooms at the design temperature.

If you can save 10k/yr, you can buy a duplex with 5% down very easily depending on where you live.