I have a bank locally that will use DOT as collateral for loans.

I also saw your post on one of the local Buffalo facebook forums, and will caution you that you are going to get a WIDE variety of feedback from a WIDE variety of investors -- especially on that group! 

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of the screen and look for local investors or meetups in your area.

Jesse Brewer is a local county commissioner in Boone County Kentucky and has been serving his constituents for 6 years.

Initially I’m wanting to start in the local Chattanooga/North Georgia area

If you ever have any specific questions about getting started or need to bounce some ideas off of a local investor let me know. 

Make sure the zoning, local building department/regulations, and neighborhood allow you to put a tiny house on your property and rent it out.If that is not possible, using that money for the next property makes sense.In general, I think increasing housing density will help provide more badly needed housing affordably.To Your Success!

Are you focusing your efforts in/around your local market?

I would recommend that you get out to local meetup events, as that is where you will make the really deep connections to help you get rolling. 

Here's a link https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/shared/Documents/Publications/FoodSafety/ServiceAnimalsposter.pdf You're mixing things up and only looking on a local level.