A property I am looking at had a fire about a year ago and the insurance company of the prior owners was nearly done fixing it up before the bank took possession of the property in foreclosure. 

Repainted and did new trim in that room prior to marketing the room.

You could even sweeten the pot and pay them a couple thousand more to do the work.If the work is done prior to closing, this allows you to buy the home on a 3.5% FHA loan, but not have to deal with the extra paperwork and the longer turn time to close the loan that an FHA203K requires. 

But have since reduced it to $1250/month which is about what it had been renting for over the past year prior to me renovating it with all new flooring and a few cosmetic upgrades. 

Tenants were 1-2 months from lease expiration, so was able to replace tenants at, or above, the prior rents.

You can start the process prior to 6 months and close right after you hit 6 months. 

Prior to this she previously mentioned she doesn't use the back door, because with her back she can't walk down the small hill on that side. 

I'm experiencing a similar challenge - looking to have an off-market deal appraised and so far, the two residential appraisers I've contacted have declined the job as "too complex" for them.The appraisal is necessary so that the seller and I can have a starting point for negotiation.The deal consists of (2) adjoined parcels: one parcel with a SFR, five car garage, trailer (will be removed prior to sale), and non-operational twenty unit storage building; the second parcel has a non-operational forty unit storage building.

Like Dan said, try out some of the meetups, post questions, grab coffees with people who seem on the same page as you.

The one prior to 2008 was the 1980 S&L crisis.