Two thoughts on negotiation techniques.  

I need to get the door fixed now to keep my tenant and the rest of the building safe.  

It's a very safe market and that's probably why everything is getting snatched up. 

., I did get the documents promised, I probably still have them in my safe. 

I put some constraints on potential purchase area (mine was 15 minute drive from where I live and a safe neighborhood).

It may seem counter intuitive, but the basics of real estate mentioned above are actually MUCH more important for long term success than the knowledge of any one technique or strategy. 

There are 2 ways to look at an investment to make sure you are safe: Long-term hold analysis, and Fix & Flip analysis. 

My parents live in the Katy neighborhood.It is very safe and from what I understand, has a good school system.A lot of the homes are 'newer builds' since it is still a relatively new neighborhood.You are also in downtown houston in about 30 minutes during non-rush hour times using the I-10 highway.I don't think you can get the 1% rule anymore in the area but close to it.Since the homes are newerish, hopefully the property won't have too much renovation / repair costs.Best of luck

Schedule a time to visit the rental and do a walk-through to ensure it is safe (no running water, temp adjusted, trash hauled out, etc.) and secure.

Performing notes like many have mentioned before are safe and boring BUT they pay every month.