Overall it seems like a lot of bad luck...how much longer can this go on before I hit a home run right?  

Many mistakes on my part plus a bad contractor).

I explained to him that I was a new investor and I could get a official contract, but he was done.That was my bad first experience but I'm not giving up.

I've driven them both during the day and they seem a little crowded with multifamily houses and overall busy but I don't think that necessarily means they're terrible areas full of bad tenants.

Then it takes a few weeks to have your actual license delivered to the brokage of choice.

Should I keep things consistent and use the exact same flooring and counter choices in both sides? 

Several years ago we bought for cash, 2 duplexes in bad shape for $165K.

Ive noticed a bad rep is circling around the name of the wholesaler: like how greedy they get or they don’t bring the numbers.

all cities have bad crime areas..

I'm feeling pretty defeated with this whole thing and a bad contractor is going to be allowed to continue to take advantage of people.