This gives you a foundation for making a fair offer.Secure Financing: Be prepared to show you’re a serious buyer with funding lined up, whether through cash, traditional financing, or a creative option like seller financing.Have a Strategy for Repairs or Development: If the property is distressed, outline how you’ll handle improvements to bring it back to productive use.

When a seller lists their property, they often agree to compensate the buyer's agent separately, though the exact terms depend on the offer made.

Market might be competitive but there is angles to stand out depending on what you are comfortable and able to handle, such as waiving an appraisal contingency, limitng inspection rights and time frames, closing time frames, allowing seller to stay-post closing, taking on difficult tenants, buying properties that might need repairs, etc.

Plus, how can you get the best deal for the seller without exposure on major platforms?

You may also want to check the Columbus OH market - great macroeconomics with lots of job and population growth along with major companies developing here that drive strong rental demand. 

Sellers rarely mind the low deposit and extended closing period due to the nature of the property, or at least they can be made aware of the fact that their lot has issues that will take MY time and MY money to solve and then they come around.My terms on the flip are: Minimum 10K spread between purchase and flip value.  1-2K deposit upfront to hold the property for 7 days then the deposit becomes non-refundable after the 7th day and the buyer has the same amount of time that I originally negotiated with seller typically 8-12 months(its a purchase contract but because of contingencies its essentially an option).  

So seller did have a marketable title.

The restrictions vary by location, but they can impact guest satisfaction and demand.

Look into seller financing or subject to properties in the area that you want to purchase. 

I cold call and go direct to the seller and I have a 3 person team that pretty much just calls all day long for me.