Before committing to a DC investment, reconcile what is advertised, what records support, what you intend to build or operate, and what the deal can fund. A missing record is unknown—not approval. Assign each unresolved item an evidence source, responsible person and decision deadline before waiving relevant protections.
DC acquisition screening and an offline evidence log; no automatic legal clearance
Start with the parcel and the proposed transaction
Record address, square/suffix/lot, ownership form, intended use, legal unit count and transaction structure. Verify that maps, tax records, plans and contract describe the same property. OTR’s GIS program links property information including assessments, sales, identifiers and classifications; these records are useful starting points, not a determination of every lawful use.
Sources: DC Office of Tax and Revenue: Real Property GIS Program and assessment map search.
Keep your actual property/tenant/financial records private. This site supplies a blank workbook and official links; it does not upload addresses or private documents to an external service.
Use an evidence matrix
| Question | Evidence / source | Consequence if unresolved |
|---|---|---|
| What do I own and acquire? | Title, survey/plat, contract and entity review | Boundary, encumbrance or transaction scope may differ from the investment plan. |
| What use/units are supported? | Occupancy and permit/inspection records; approved plans | Rent or resale product may be unsupported. |
| Who can occupy and on what terms? | Leases, occupancy history, required notices and counsel | Possession, work schedule and rent assumptions may change. |
| What work is feasible? | Condition/design investigations, written bids, approval requirements | Cost, scope or timing may be incomplete. |
| What can be sold or refinanced? | Comparable or income evidence, loan conditions, closing cost ledger | Exit value or available proceeds may fail the required return/payoff. |
Download the DC due-diligence evidence log. For each item, record source, date, status, discrepancy, owner, next action and economic consequence. Use “not applicable” only with a reason.
Check official records for the question they answer
- Property: OTR map/assessment/sales and parcel records.
- Permits and inspections: DOB online record resources and relevant approved/final documents.
- Planning/historic: PropertyQuest and Office of Planning materials; confirm designation and work scope.
- Rental: occupancy, licensing and RentRegistry/exemption documentation as applicable.
- Sale/tenant process: current statutory branch, forms and proof—not a seller’s blanket “TOPA exempt” assertion.
Sources: DC Office of Tax and Revenue: Real Property GIS Program and assessment map search; DC Department of Buildings: Online resources: property, permit and inspection records; DC Office of Planning: PropertyQuest: planning and property research; DC RentRegistry / DHCD: Housing-provider registration and exemption guidance; DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection: Housing business licensing; DC Department of Housing and Community Development: Rental conversion and sale forms; current RENTAL Act guidance.
Add the branch that fits the business plan
| Residential flip | Commercial / mixed-use |
|---|---|
| Document the finished resale product and defensible comparable range. | Reconcile rent roll, executed leases, collections, expenses and reimbursements. |
| Separate cosmetic scope from hidden/structural/utility risks. | Model TI/LC, downtime, concessions, operating deficits and tenant delivery conditions. |
| Verify legal use and any additional unit/area assumption. | Verify actual and proposed operating use, occupancy and building/environmental conditions. |
| Stress sale price, rehab and holding time together. | Stress NOI, lease-up timing, exit cap, debt caps and refinance cash gap together. |
Covered pre-1978 residential paint-disturbing work also requires attention to RRP requirements; investor-performed work is not automatically homeowner DIY. Larger buildings may require energy-compliance diligence. Use professionals appropriate to the history, condition and proposed work.
Sources: US Environmental Protection Agency: RRP requirements for for-profit residential renovators; DC Department of Energy & Environment: BEPS revised guidebook version 1.2 announcement.
Illustrative discrepancy: a marketed second unit
A listing says “two units,” but the available occupancy/permit file does not establish that use. Record the statement and missing evidence. Ask for approved records and professional/agency confirmation; price the consequences of different outcomes. Do not assume the second rent stream in the base case, and do not classify the tenant process solely from the listing. This is a fictional diligence example, not a finding about a particular DC address.
Close the loop before commitment
- Advance: required evidence supports the plan and funding.
- Investigate: missing evidence has a defined owner, cost and deadline.
- Reprice or restructure: supported findings change scope, time, return or cash need.
- Decline: unresolved or adverse conditions exceed your risk/capital limits.
Keep contract and financing contingencies aligned with unresolved items and qualified advice. Do not let an approaching loan or seller deadline turn an unverified assumption into a fact. Recheck the workbook when the scope, use, price, occupancy or funding terms change.
Sources & update notes
Source review dated October 24, 2026; access notes below distinguish readable guidance from limited-access entry points. Scenario numbers and underwriting methods are our illustrative analysis, not agency findings or lender offers. Confirm changing rules and property-specific conditions before acting.
- Real Property GIS Program and assessment map searchDC Office of Tax and Revenue · Guidance reviewed 2026-10-24
- Online resources: property, permit and inspection recordsDC Department of Buildings · Guidance reviewed 2026-10-24
- PropertyQuest: planning and property researchDC Office of Planning · Guidance reviewed 2026-10-24
- Housing-provider registration and exemption guidanceDC RentRegistry / DHCD · Registration portal reviewed 2026-10-24; actual filing status must be verified in the portal
- Housing business licensingDC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection · Official agency entry point; confirm current category and project instructions directly
- Rental conversion and sale forms; current RENTAL Act guidanceDC Department of Housing and Community Development · Guidance reviewed 2026-10-24
- RRP requirements for for-profit residential renovatorsUS Environmental Protection Agency · Guidance reviewed 2026-10-24
- BEPS revised guidebook version 1.2 announcementDC Department of Energy & Environment · Published 2026-08-11 · Guidance reviewed 2026-10-24
October 24, 2026: New residential/commercial evidence workbook and decision framework.
Report a correction or a changed source. No independent professional sign-off is represented by this source-check date.