I have seen what I would consider corrupt behavior/bid rigging from Association Managers but never a board.

This isn't just another suburb with acre after acre of cookie-cutter subdivisions with cookie-cutter houses or McMansions or whatever where you can honestly pull up 20 true comps for any given house.

So far I have only invested in Short sales, since all the houses are new, cookie cutter, It is all based on the numbers. 

One acre isn't a small cookie cutter subdivision.Do you need to put 70K in the place or 5K to get to that ARV?

Your 3 beds/ 2 bath homes are your vanilla, cookie-cutter homes.

I think it all comes down to getting off on the right foot with them and letting them know that you're NOT one of the corner cutters, or people who rehabs an entire home with zero permits and from everything I've heard they'll be fine to work with, but if its the opposite, then get ready for all sorts of issues or having the whole thing "red tagged" which means ALL work stops NOW, or the cops show up!

For me it was a friend who reminded me that 'even a wood-cutter has to stop to sharpen his tools, otherwise he ends up bashing with a blunt blade' lol... bit corny I know, but my suggestion is to include time in your day or week to let your mind go away from real-estate.  

I'm getting the feeling the bidding process is rigged so it goes to the agent's buddy.

I'm not cookie cutter so I don't expect anyone to relate nor pay for my oddities.

@Josh Gordon welcome to the site.The cookie cutter answer here is 6 months of reserves.