Additionally, does anyone have any good recommendations for hard money lenders im the DC, Maryland, Virginia area that they have experience with?

Have no experience. 

To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.Even if someone gives you a referral here, do NOT make the mistake of assuming that the PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

We are here to help each other grow.Get as much knowledge and experience as possible and find a mentor.Join real estate investment clubs.Get in touch with a local agent or investor and shorten your learning curve and save you a lot of headaches as they tend to understand the market better.All the best!

@Britney DearEven if someone give you a referral, what meets their expectations, may not meet yours.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

That may seem obvious but in my experience, 99% of ongoing maintenance issues are because the property is old and needs either a large cash infusion to make them go away or what I like to do is 1031 exchange into something newer that requires less work. 

In essence, less than 20% (of the commonly-held-average) ARV is a slim margin, and you should justify it according to your experience and comfort.

With the right experience, any strategy can work. 

If it were good, so many people wouldnt shy from their experiences. 

Any experience others have had is welcomed.