Nutmegger said:
Where exactly are there any duplexes that aren't located in sketchy, unsafe areas of BCS that are also under $200k?
And I actually moved out of a duplex and into an apartment just to feel safe walking my dog, and to also not hear people ALL the time (yes, the apartment was actual much quieter). There are no "luxury" duplexes or nicer duplex communities with HOAs that I know of, so wouldn't they simply continue to attract the wrong crowds and thus lose value (or in the case of an explosive market - raise value at a much, much slower rate than a nice SFH)?
There are a lot of duplex areas that are predominantly student housing and very safe. More so in College Station than Bryan but some in Bryan as well. You put a qualifier on price 200k but when you compare it to apartment living your comparing buying to renting, I don't get your point. If you allude to capital appreciation it can be debated which asset class (Duplex vs SFH) appreciate better, but for most investors that is missing the point. The focus of duplex investing is the positive cash flow that is generated monthly, which is more important than the capital appreciation which becomes the icing on the cake.
The primary buyer of a duplex is an investor. Therefore the overall driver in the purchase is the POSITIVE CASH FLOW generated. Emotions are more in play in a singe family home (SFH) especially if owner occupied, where as emotions play a reduce role when considering a duplex. As such, most if not all duplex areas in the Bryan College Station are occupied by renters and not owners (although you will find a few owner occupants).
As been pointed out on this board, and accepted by me, is that I am pro duplex ownership regardless of age. However, some of my friends misconstrued that stand to mean you should spend your entire life LIVING in a Duplex. Duplex ownership serves the investor and can be a very effective tool to acquiring real wealth and certainly enable one to produce Predicable and Sustainable Income, especially for retirement, from which people have few sources of Predicable/Sustainable income.
You won't find as many "Luxury" duplexes because duplexes have been used to target low income housing solutions, and for investors that usually means a larger pool of renters to keep your property occupied. The craze of luxury student housing in College Station IMHO has been extremely over built and prices to rent by the room have come down putting more pressure on the lower income solutions like duplexes.
Your experience having better living conditions in an apartment vs a duplex is unusual unless your paying more for an apartment. Equivelant rents usually between the type properties favor a duplex over an apartment if you don't value the added pool, fitness room, ect. Parking at your door, possibly with a garage, private yard and usually more sqft give the nod to better conditions for which to live. Usually not climbing several sets of stairs and having someone live above/below you also favors duplex living. Exceptions to rule always apply. I find more duplexes in Austin that certainly give the nod over apartment living. In BCS I do see where some apartments may offer better conditions as you have indicated.
Cheers.