As long as you possess the knowledge to self manage and/or are able to acquire the skills managing your own properties is great.

No where in the ordinance does it say you can't screen individuals, you will just have to been more judicious@Wesley W.To those that don't know the details of the ordinance, you can still individually evaluate any applicant to your criteria (as long as it's a legal one).  

with condo HOA fees, I've found that as long as they are below the $200-ish a month threshold, it still makes sense as an investment.

As long as the duplex is in good condition, you can purchase it with as little as 3.5% down contingent on your DTI, credit score,etc.

@Jacob Sampson that’s true, I wouldn’t care as much about my property value at that point as long as I’m cash flowing but I also heard that in a downturn rents can decline as well due to job loss.

Very easily panicked these days 😅 I’ll probably hold tight on it as long as I can keep it filled. 

But they also produce cashflow, and in commercial real estate as long as you have cashflow you'll have appriciation over time and more importantly you get paid cashflow distributions to wait for this appriciation.

So long as it's in a good school district and close to facilities and amenities, and can get positive cash flow, you're in a good spot with it.

(Lease Option is out) I have talked to my mortgage provider as well as VA Professionals who both advised that I would be able to sell the home how I choose so long as the payments are made on the existing mortgage. 

@Jacob Scholes the appraiser will do a projected rents schedule and whatever you submit as projected rent - as long as they appraiser justifies that it is within reasonable range is used.