Kinda odd situation, first time for me.  

I've been involved in title insurance since I was 19 working part time during college summers and for the last 3 years I have been a full-time employee.

Odds are all the seller will do is get a handyman to get up on that roof and diddle around with his caulking gun loaded with roofing cement among the existing shingles.

@Heather Carbone1.80-2$ per s.f. to install the wood, and another 1.60-2$ to finish with sealer and two coats of finish.....there are variables involved that could increase costs (messed up subfloor, weaving into old existing somewhere, etc.)

We got involved with some real estate investors we knew previously who gave us some guidance on where to start.We just went under contract for a duplex so we need all the help we can get!

Please keep in mind, the four basic requirements for a successful exchange are: • Property Qualifications – the properties involved in a 1031 Exchange must be held for business or investment purposes. • Tax Deferral – to defer 100% of the tax liability you will need to 1.reinvest all of your cash and 2.purchase property equal or greater in value. • Timeline – the 1031 exchange must be completed within 180 days. • Identification – potential replacement property must be identified on day 45 of the exchange. 

This is somewhat of a unique situation that really just depends on the parties involved so I don't know that anyone is going to be able to give you a definitive answer. 

One of the duplexes is being sold by an investor who currently has 20 buildings, so a real estate agent won't be involved in that sale. 

There are risks involved but still very good return.If you are willing to spend more money, you will  be in a decent neighborhood, in a better tenant pool with less headache.It is all about what you want to do.

What you pay for a house involves two parts,,,cash and leverage.The cash you pay must be recovered (through cash flow) before you start to make a profit.The leveraged part impacts your cash flow through the monthly payments on that leveraged amount.