Going from a $232K purchase to a $575K sale is no small feat, especially with a full excavation of the foundation and reframing involved.I’ve got a buddy who tried something similar outside San Diego last year.. he had to reinforce the entire property with a new slab and rebuild the interior layout from scratch.. definitely not for the faint of heart, but his final sale price turned heads in that local market.

I can't see but maybe the wooden piers are sitting on sonotube concrete piers embedded in the ground which might change things.What I would do is get with a few major local lenders and maybe ask them what they would need to make sure the little studios (that is what I would call them, not yurts) are maximized for value.

I’m looking for local forums, groups and or networking opportunities in Washington D.C where I can connect with other investors or wholesaler professionals.

The nat'l trends are definitely not relevant, local is all that matters.

But why not start locally? 

CRREIA is probably the biggest meetup locally, I went once and would love to go more.

To add more weight to your case, dig deeper into local records.

Directed marketing to pre-foreclosures, a website with seo, networking, driving for $$, go to some local meetings.

Bank of America does this - not sure about the minimums, but if you have a good relationship with your local branch, they can waive the monthly fees until your balance grows from rental income.

If you don't really need the cash flow now and you are going more for appreciation, stay local.