Hindsight Critique•Continue to build relationships to increase deal flow•Property manager (Mercer Hughes) is critical to completing renovations and quick tenant placement•Continue to build relationships with private lenders and personal investors•Have cash available to make quick competitive offersDid you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

If that is true I would probably sell and buy in a place where there is less competition.   

I would say that your QI should be competitively priced, but the lowest price is not always the best. 

Here are a few additional ideas that have worked for me and others in competitive markets like Austin:Off-Market Leads from Contractors: I had a friend who rehabbed a house in North Austin last year.

This will lead to many of the professionals in the same industries who already are not doing that well to fall out of competition and hence be "replaced'.

I'd go on ABnB and see what your competition is doing that you can copy.Maybe a Firepit out front (as long as it's not a fire hazard), maybe a cornhole set?

I've often found that the biggest competitive advantage you have when you are getting started is proximity! 

I knew some of the top court house guys and they did volume 50 to 80 deals a year  average profit on those given the Uber competition and having to pay HML rates was 20 or less..

With a 40% expense ratio, the DSCR is approximately 1.21Hindsight Critique•Continue to build relationships to increase deal flow•Property manager (Mercer Hughes) is critical to completing renovations and quick tenant placement•Continue to build relationships with private lenders and personal investors•Have cash available to make quick competitive offers

Yes, the more units you go up, generally the less players in the game so there is some advantage in purchase competition as you go up, but also more management scale and cap ex for someone who is new.3.