Especially with the property being directly on a main road. 

Taking these steps prior to mailing the sellers will result in you saving time and encountering less unwanted "surprises" down the road.

I am hoping someone on here has gone down this road already and can provide a referral or some tips.ThanksBrian 

Except a few.Those few are looking down the road because when things stabilize that investment could pop right back up 30-40% and they will look like a savant.

Then, I go in and install all of the utilities and road while I am building the duplex.

Is this person a convicted criminal?

It can be easier to sell SFR down the road and they tend to appreciate faster.On the flip side, however, finding a good duplex and a good dependable tenant can significantly offset ownership costs.

Sometimes (usually) this means they don't have employment so there might be other problems down the road.

Your landlord seems to be violating some tenant privacy issues for sure.And, once you start down this road, you probably want to be ready to move as he may not like it.

My first REI deal wasn't the best and it was a tough road on that property.