As long as you have access to a lot of capital to fund renovations, vacancy, and unexpected items, not to mention can handle the stress,  and trust me--t will be a lot, and it's a lot of stuff no one  (except BP!)

I only need to pay off the small existing subject-to loan, and beyond that, I want cash flow and *access* to cash, not actual cash in the bank that I have to pay interest on while I'm not using it.)

It’s all publicly accessible.

@Lance Stokes Look into a local REIA in your area to join to gain access to a large network of like-minded people.

Keep in mind many of the benefits you get as a member which include discounted MLS membership as well as access to NVAR contracts and forms.

Some cities will list the property owner on their assessor website for free; some don't but you may be able to find out the owner by contacting the assessor's office.In my PA market I can either pay to have access to the database with the property owner's names or I can call the lady in the office and she'll tell me.

They would invest it in a portfolio of deals that I likely don’t have access to and that produce a higher return than my single duplex. 

For example, if you are looking to connect with other members near you, want to learn from people in a specific area you’d like to invest in, or have a desire to find people interested in certain topics, you could start your search here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersThere are a few self-contained guides that you can access here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides

I have heard MLS which I can't access and driving around neighborhoods but I am not from the Atlanta area (currently live in South FL) so that's not possible.

There are a few ways to access that equity.