I’ve done some reading, research, knocking on doors, making the phone calls, walking the beat, head in the grindstone, can’t sleep at night BS.  

Even though I know I wasn't putting that excess cash to work in other investments, sometimes there is no better investment than being able to sleep well at night. 

I'll take her out to dinner then sleep with her.

-no bank loans-. a big reason I am considering this is because currently I am in the ghetto currently and man it sucks with a capitol S for a multitude of reasons. my bills all in run about 700 currently after that I am free and clear that is how we are saving so much, but the stress of living here takes its toll. and I am not willing to move until I own a duplex I would rather eat dirt then not hit our goals and make our dreams come true of truly owning our lives and time.I would just get a mortgage but due to all my income currently being from my GI bill stipend it is not considered permanent, thus rendering me unable to get a conventional mortgage, and due to her culture until we are married. which we are putting off until I am done with school because of how rough engineering is we don't want to get a mortgage in her name. making all other options pretty difficult making this one an actual viable option to do.I have done the math with out saving rate, and how it would increase when we bought the duplex. by doing this we could have two duplexes with large amounts down mixed with my student loans in a working class area by the time I graduate making cashflows well over the amount I need to pay the loans and then some, then use my va loan for the third and rush to pay those student loans off. doing this with at least this first one if I never used student loans again would make my housing situation infinitely better and help us save and invest even more then. and I wouldn't have to sleep with my gun under my pillow every night. so I am really sold on doing it once so far sense I don't have many other options and am in a unique situation.I am really moving towards doing it just this once. and seeing how it goes before I do it again. what do you all think?

Hey Matt - By quick calculations the house as a 4bedroom would sleep at least 12 people based on 4x2 and 2 pull out couches. 

Personal use includes: storing of some family personal papers/records which I don’t want to keep at SFH1, sometimes I have a guest over who I don’t want to live with us, sometimes I need to sleep at SFH2 when I am working late at my job/taking a mental time out with my partner.

So for me it more personal and having free and clear makes me sleep better at night.Hope all is well Alex

Nothing like your 2 year old sleeping in the closet. :)Wish you the best as you keep investing in Cincinnati. 

Diane you simply can't compare a SF tenant making 300k a year to basically any tenant in any market that is a blue collar worker.. you can get ones that are great you can get total train wrecks.if your SF investments are solid and you sleep well.. stay put.. other wise look for larger Multi in great areas A and B class with 4 to 6 caps.. that can be professionally managed and have on site management .. these will run well.I have a client I sold a 80 unit B class to in Portland 10 years ago.. and his wife has never come back to see it and he comes once a year from Honolulu to meet with manager...

I started a gut renovation in Feb, and slept in a sleeping bag on the jobsite and showered at the gym.