There is a reason why some investors scale rapidly while others seem to spend inordinate amouts of time and energy for a tiny fraction of the deal flow in their market.  

These properties will appeal to certain renters but it's going to be a tiny minority and you'll have plenty of competition for that limited demand.

I don't feel emotionally attached to my house, but it is in a neighborhood we really wanted to be in, close to our jobs, and it was hard to find a place within our price range where we are... plus all the duplexes/triplexes I see online are tiny or super old or in neighborhoods nowhere near where we work...

That tiny 3 bedroom house in Palo Alto isn't worth $1.5M, the land underneath is worth $1.3M and the house is worth $200,000 (giver or take).