On another note, the whole paying into the property should be on top of the required mortgage otherwise you end up paying a higher share since you have the money down upfront. 

There are investors out there that put large amounts down, such as 50% or more and those that pay cash.

I’m 41 a mom of 3 and working on paying off my second home through owner financing.

So now my next purchase is going to be solely with the goal of cash flow in mind to help offset what I'm currently paying out of pocket.

The duplexes had 3 of 4 units rented, and only one tenant is actually paying rent.

I mean… Would we even get THAT much more in the end with a realtor, given that (as I understand it), most investors pay all closing costs and we wouldn’t have to pay a realtor fee?

It may sound nice to pay a 6% management fee but the extra fees can add up to be more than the other company that charges 10% with no additional fees.

It would have been nice to pay lower for the property but from what I can see from the appraisal, the appraiser took into account properties with similar rent values which brought the appraised value back up the second time around. 

That may have been from a transaction you had along the way by writing a check or putting your account number for automatic bill paying.

Never choose the cheapest bid.. or you’ll pay..