in a stick frame market and one of the cheapest markets to build we build with margin at $190 or so a square foot. that will go up over time about 5% or 10% a year to keep up with new build price increases. we are buidling a 3 story walk up and source some of the lowest priced crews.

There are no laws restricting mark-to-market rents. 

Don’t forget. 2024 rent cap was 8.9% so you may never get “market rent”.

It is not that good at the price point of DC or in my market (but better than my market).  

No one has a "crystal ball" to time the market perfectly. 

From there we identify properties that could have some potential and if you are interesting in diving deeper, 1) we do a thorough video walkthrough to give you a realistic look of the property, 2) we give a ballpark estimate of rehab costs (we do 40 a year with our GCs o we will get pretty close), 3) we talk through market rent with our property management team, ARV, and potential highest and best use.Ideally you find great investor agents who know their market really well and have a network of resources to provide you with enough confidence to take reasonable action. 

I would add that SFH airbnb market here is saturated BUT I believe there is still a robust market for larger homes for family gatherings and events.

Fortunately for me, I started investing a time in the market where everything went up.  

However, many states now require some version of a license to wholesale, so I'd identify a market first and then dig into their specific wholesaler requirements. 

- Will they search for off-market properties for you?