Duplexes are especially attractive because you can increase income through small improvements without taking on the complexity of larger apartment buildings.

I am unsure if I should just pass on this deal and wait for something better but these smaller complexes in my price range are hard to find and not sure if I am overthinking.  

That is a different structure with its own complexity, but it gives a buyer access to your rate.

I ask because some of the Condominium complexes along river are selling for a great price IMO and they provide veiws and quick travel access. 

Start with 2-4 units before commercial - same underwriting principles but way less complex.

Depends if the passive investment itself is internally leveraged,So, if an investor is investing in a syndication which owns say a 50 unit apartment complex free and clear of debt, and invests $100k, 50k of which is borrowed at say 5% on a home equity line of credit, this is probably ok.Not so much under the same scenario of personal borrowing where the syndication had a 50% LTV mortgage itself against the subject property.  

Five units isn’t operationally complex, but without structure, small misses compound — lease dates, late fees, maintenance follow-ups.Where DIY usually succeeds is when owners lock in a few non-negotiables:One official communication channel (no scattered texts)Clear late fee enforcement and automated remindersA lease expiration tracking system with 60–90 day alertsDefined maintenance approval thresholds so every repair doesn’t require a mental decisionSpreadsheets can work, but only if someone treats them like a system — most people don’t.

I had one for years that I liked, but as he grew and purchased a couple of other practices, he pawned me off on a couple of low-level underlings because we weren't big enough or complex enough to warrant big bills.

So renting defers taxes and creates write-offs now, but it doesn’t erase tax forever.The key tradeoff is this: sell now and potentially walk away with tax-free gains, or convert to rental, build long-term equity and cash flow, but deal with depreciation recapture and more complex taxes later.So before deciding, I’d run three numbers: estimated net sale proceeds after using the primary residence exclusion, projected rental cash flow after expenses, and long-term appreciation potential.

Scales well but costs more.Yardi – Very robust, but heavier and more complex.