Young Investor Revitalizing the Downtown (Culpeper/DC Metro)

[M. Bickers]

I'm a new member; I'm not a complete newbie to real estate, as I've helped manage various properties for years,  but I'm hoping to do a lot of research -- and hopefully make some connections. I love advice from my "olders and betters," as the saying goes around here.

I'm located in the heart of Culpeper, Virginia, which is a rapidly growing town on the outskirts of DC. It's becoming very well known for gastronomic tourism, as well as a few very major arts projects (The State Theater and the Library of Congress' Film Archive). It's on its way up as trendy weekend destination for those seeking to escape the big city.

I own and manage a multi-family (4 unit) property downtown, as well as manage a large multi-use commercial property, with restaurant/assembly rated spaces and office/retail spaces. I'm very passionate about the revitalization efforts and serve on various committees dedicated to improving the artistic community, accessibility, tourism of the downtown. I've begun earnest research in how to screen better residential tenants, and attracting commercial tenants, which is a fair bit trickier.

I also own and rent out a cottage with horse pasture acreage, although I'm mulling over offering it as a lease option agreement. I would love to be able to sell it and channel the income into more multi-unit properties, which I enjoy far more. I'm hoping to learn from BP on that front, as well as how to play a "hold 'em or fold 'em" situation with an interest in a developing Lynchburg acreage. 

Any advice is welcomed... now, to pour over the copious archives, here!