PS I love Charleston .. just tied up a lot down town to do a new build on .. very tough to find lots there that work !!

You find out up front if they have any cash or not, vs burning 30-45 days to find it appraises at your listing price, and they don't have the cash to close.Get a VA checklist from one of your trusted lenders and make sure everything in the house meets the checklist. 

You can find properties with lots of positive cashflow, hit the 1% rule, and a ton of appreciation.

But with duplexes being so hard to find in my market should I settle for a single family house hack?

My next step is to find a CPA.

If you find a good one which is rare jump all over it. if not stick to the duplexes. 

What kind of down payment options did you find along the way?

I find lots of BRRRR opportunities in Columbus and other parts of Ohio.

Use your VA loan to get a primary residence that needs some love, find something that requires primarily cosmetic work, get your hands dirty, and make it a gem.

OP should find a very experienced short sale agent locally and have a conversation.