Have you considered a 3 family or changing your property location to a nearby town that does have duplexes?

I am 29, single, employed, have ample savings, a full VA loan, and am pre approved for 550k, and looking within an hour of the dc metro area, ideally Harford county MD due to the good schools and military bases near by. 

Some larger (8+ acre), treed, hilly land nearby seen for $2-$3/sf. 

One thing I would add is to look for the concentration of nearby extended stay hotels, e.g.

I would say having family nearby could be beneficial if you think they could be of any assistance.

Have you ever done a rehab nearby?

Some of these exceptions have been unsafe environment (article from borrower with shooting nearby, larger family size and need for more space from unexpected pregnancy, job relocation, and other.So every 2 years is fine however dont let that 2 year figure hold you up because there is general guidelines then there is whats "really," happening out there with loan underwriters and what they'll actually approve.

It’s important to carefully analyze the numbers to ensure you’re getting a good return on investment.Appreciation: Tallahassee has seen steady appreciation, but it's not as fast-growing as some other Florida markets like Tampa or Orlando.Alternatives NearbyIf you’re finding Tallahassee a bit pricey, consider looking at other nearby markets that might offer better value:Alabama: Cities like Birmingham and Huntsville are close by and can offer more affordable purchase prices with strong rental demand and high ROI potential.

Sherman and Denison have hospitals, but also look into nearby cities like McKinney, Prosper and Frisco, which have growing healthcare facilities.

As you can see, the numbers aren't great from a CoC return standpoint with current interest rates, but the location is strong - great schools, close to large hospitals, 10 mins from downtown, and popular suburban towns nearby.