There's even talk of floating house designs to mitigate American hurricane-prone and flood zone areas.

Maybe pull a little cash out to float you for a bit?  

Also in DC, even though our property values seem high, it is about 35% cheaper to own than to rent here.So with all the money this region has floating around, it really explains our high property prices.

You owned floating homes?

I considered my options for an affordable home: 1) mobile home, which could wash away in the next storm; 2) houseboat, which could float away in the next storm; or 3) land-based structural dwelling, which is only slightly more permeant than the other two.The decision-tree continues... what type of structural dwelling: 3a) an older ground-level house; or 3b) newer elevated house on stilts above the hurricane floodplain.

I've called all the banner sign guys, Craiglist posters, and BP wholesalers to get my hands on a wholesale deal - they've got nothing or they've overpaid themselves...  

They work fine overall, problems with float and motor burn out can occur,  but rarely.

I'm also doing more normal rehab things like granite counters, refinishing the cabinets (they're solid wood and in good condition) and updating the hardware, installing floating vinyl faux wood planks, updating all light and water fixtures, replacing the appliances with black stainless steel ones (I don't like the look of regular stainless) and, of course, painting. 

Vinyl planks and Vinyl interlock (floating planks).

I definitely put Future Economics as a big part of your ability to be successful.Consider Future Economics as if it were a Tide and you are on a boat on the tide.As long as your Boat doesn't have a hole in it, if the Tide comes in (meaning the economics are good), your boat will float up!