Where in FL can i get a cashflowing duplex with $50,000 down payment with financing and after insurnace, vacancy, and expenses?
Hey @Yechiel Mor, welcome to the BP Forum! What about something like this: 10009 N 10th St, Tampa, FL 33612? Not sure what the current tenants pay, but you could possible get Section 8 tenants in the units and MAYBE it would cash flow...
Lender · Tampa/Saint Petersburg, FL · Member since 2014 · 356 posts · 148 votes
10mo
Hi Yechiel, are you looking to buy an investment property or would you be looking to “house hack”? Assuming you’re looking for an investment property, you’ll probably be targeting something around $250k or less with $50k down (and remember you’ll have 3–4% in settlement costs on top of that).
With that budget you’ll want to focus on the true tertiary markets — Lakeland and Ocala are usually where my clients still find duplexes that cashflow after insurance and expenses. With my clients, I do find that it can be a competitive price point so you'll want to work with an agent that can put together competitive offers to get the deal done.
Real Estate Agent · 11440 N Kendall DR, Suite 405 · Member since 2026 · 10 posts · 1 vote
2mo
With $50,000 down, I would first separate the question into two different strategies: investor financing vs. owner-occupied house hacking.
If you are buying as an investor with 20%–25% down, $50,000 usually puts you around a $200,000–$250,000 purchase price before closing costs, reserves, and repairs. In many Florida markets, that is a very tight box for a duplex that still cash flows after insurance, vacancy, maintenance, taxes, and management.
For that reason, I would not start in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Naples, Tampa core, or Orlando core unless there is a value-add angle, seller financing, or an off-market opportunity.
The areas I would research first are more inland or North Florida markets such as Jacksonville, Ocala/Marion County, Lakeland/Winter Haven/Polk County, parts of Volusia County, and possibly Pensacola/Escambia depending on the insurance and flood-zone profile.
But I would be very careful not to call something “cash flowing” just because rent is higher than the mortgage payment. I would underwrite it with:
actual insurance quote, not an estimate
taxes after reassessment
5%–8% vacancy
8%–10% repairs and maintenance
CapEx reserves
property management, even if you self-manage
utility responsibility
roof age and 4-point inspection risk
flood zone and wind mitigation impact
The biggest mistake in Florida is using a national cash-flow rule and forgetting that insurance, roof age, flood zones, and older electrical/plumbing can completely change the deal.
If the buyer is willing to live in one unit, FHA house hacking may open more options because the down payment structure is different. But if the goal is pure investor financing with only $50,000 down, I would be looking for a modest inland duplex with verified rents, clean insurance, legal unit count, and no major deferred maintenance.
My short answer: yes, it is possible, but probably not in the most popular Florida markets. I would start with Jacksonville, Ocala, Polk County, Volusia County, and selected Pensacola submarkets, then let the insurance quote and true expense load decide whether it is actually a deal.
Real Estate Broker · Tampa, FL · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 679 votes
2mo
I'd also take a hard look at Pasco County, especially areas like New Port Richey, Hudson, Port Richey, Holiday, and Zephyrhills. We've been investing there for years because it's still one of the better places in Florida to find cash-flow opportunities. That said, I wouldn't get too focused on buying a duplex. I always tell investors to buy the best investment, not a specific property type. I've seen plenty of single-family homes outperform duplexes once you factor in insurance, taxes, vacancy, maintenance, CapEx, and property management. With a $50,000 down payment, it's definitely possible to find a good deal, but I'd let the numbers drive the decision rather than the property type.
Lender · Miami, FL · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 797 votes
2mo
@Yechiel Mor I work with a few realtors in FL that may be able to help you with sourcing a property. Feel free to send me a message and I will connect you with them depending on the areas that you are looking to purchase.
Graystone Investment Group4.6268 Reviews
Bartomeo Property Management4.7150 Reviews
Helm Mortgage Corp.5123 Reviews