@Zana Blue,Well, I'll take a more humane position: instead of focusing on win-lose, try to find a way to make it a win-win.For example, if you're in a position to do so, offer to be a private lender on his deal, or see if you can partner up with him some other way.The path to success should not be a competition, it should be a journey on which we take others with us.

Very common as things just got to crazy ... builders are human also..they let an investor tie up property for 400k in framing stage Investor flips contract and make 30k...

But the goal isn't money; the goal is to be a light to the world, ministering to the needs of humanity.

I bought an occupied REO a while back  with a squatter where the house was full of human waste, mostly in buckets.  

Had a guy call me from a bandit sign,  and said that he has a house he doesn't want and he was wondering if I could buy it from him....as the conversation went on he proceeded to tell that he couldn't even give this away to a neighbor or habitat for Humanity....He will take what ever....but even at that this house needs alot of work and its not in a very good neighborhood.....what should I do?

 I work in human services making garbage money with a BA in English.

In reality humans are not always rational.

Learning by itself does not make one wise, but acting upon the information we learn for the benefit of oneself and to humanity is wisdom.

Or Seconds and Surplus.If there is no hurry, your best deals are ordering cabinets from Alibaba.com I really like the Re-Store (Habitat for Humanity) for a few odds and ends here and there - a few pieces of hardwood trim, a vanity top, a vintage sink or a cool, an old door with character.

I make my RE investment decisions based at trends since human behavior don't change be it now or 100 years ago.