That is in effect what you are doing when you allocate $0 for PM.Your maintenance/cap ex is far too low for 2 units (~4x low) if trying t allocate sustaining costs.  

Ultra-low interest rates and quite low RE prices.

Growing your network is great but I'd focus on keeping your expenses low, growing your skills and active income to give you that savings it takes to start buying

It matched the criteria for a low-risk, fast-turn opportunity where profit comes from timing and market positioning rather than renovations.How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

Others focus on ADU builds or house hacking (like renting part of a primary home) since you can still deduct depreciation and expenses proportionally while living there.The reality is, in high-cost markets like this, appreciation and tax planning usually drive returns more than raw cash flow.

“Cheap is Expensive”

(Your wife thinks of this as low risk because you aren't borrowing.

You need to live somewhere and you'll ideally reduce your housing expense.

Keep your expenses low.

This structure created a low-risk path to a high-profit outcome once the renovation was complete.How did you add value to the deal?