I may have been listening to the podcasts too much (I'm through around half of them)I'm all for giving the current tenants a chance, but it seems like I have to just take them without knowing anything about them, no idea of how they were screened, their payment history, etc.This is just a duplex, is it a very common thing to sell an occupied unit (on the lower range, not 4plex+)?

In your project range go for nasty.  

This will not only protect your personal assets from any potential renter who is looking to sue, but it also will vastly help the underwriters track income when looking to get approved for future loans.

you will not want to take documents from anyone on line and will want an attorney to create docs for you which would range from $5-$10k.Regarding management fees, 1-2% is what those fees typically, are so even at $1M you are taking $10-$20k/yr in management fees, which probably does not get you super excited, but thats where they typically are.

Qualification is based off property income and LTV's can range from 55-70%.

However, your situation—having a full VA loan, ample savings, and a pre-approval in a competitive range—puts you in a strong position to navigate these challenges.Given your circumstances and goals, buying a home could indeed be a way to build equity for yourself rather than paying rent that contributes to someone else's mortgage.

In addition there are a wide range of grants HUD supports in most cities to improve a property to rent to low income people.Perhaps the best decission in looking at section 8 and low income rentales are the larger assets of using the contract incentives and special financing programs that only exist to those who provide services and employ your tenant that you could benefit from.

What are your scenarios looking like for property type and loan amount ranges ? 

It is a newer hill top build in an older neighborhood with a 500-700k price range.

The vast majority of Madison, Morgan, and limestone counties should be prime appreciation plays over the next few years.