THE ONE BEDROOM DUPLEX DILEMMA

A duplex to avoid at all costs is one with a single bedroom (either for one side or both sides, it does not matter). A one bedroom configuration is extremely limiting and really is only suited for a single person. Roommate situations are entirely out of the question (Who wants to share a bedroom?) Sometimes a couple can share a one bedroom duplex but that audience is still small. A married couple would prefer a two bedroom duplex and even a three bedroom for more space. It is easy to scale up to more bedrooms. A married couple can scale up easily. Even a single person can use more bedrooms. An extra bedroom can always be converted to an office or guest room. Also, any small family can scale up to more bedrooms easily. Scaling down is the problem. Who does not want to have more space?

The real dilemma is not maximizing rents. A one bedroom duplex rents for significantly less than a two bedroom unit. In Austin, a one bedroom duplex might rent for $750 while a comparable two bedroom duplex could rent for $900. Not only will the prospective audience be small with a one bedroom duplex, as mentioned above, but your maintenance costs are still comparable to a two bedroom duplex. It is better to make your investment really count when you spend valuable time to make ready, repair, and improve your duplex. Buy a duplex with at least two bedrooms on each side. The return on investment is well worth it.