Furthermore, actual solutions to housing’s unaffordability in the United States have been largely ignored as political activists chase after this red herring.How Many Houses Has Wall Street Actually Bought?

I'm getting good at sniffing them out thanks to these common red flags: they often have a foreign accent, they can't meet in person, they are looking for a quick cash sale so they're okay with me listing it below comps, don't want a "For Sale" sign placed at the property, etc. 

That is a huge red flag for me.

The involvement of onsite management, often seen as a potential red flag, can lead to the property failing crucial qualification tests.

Confirm the building doesn't have a red X on it??  

Everywhere you see poor quality work it is an IMMEDIATE and justified RED FLAG.

I’m looking to purchase my first fix and flip and would like to know more information and red flags to avoid when trying to do with business with lenders 

so a little red flag on my end..

Having said that, I am getting much better at analyzing properties on my own and have a specific set of criteria a property MUST meet and perform enough due-diligence research that the chance of missing major red flags are getting smaller and smaller.And yes, as the overwhelming majority of foreclosures are either cancelled or "purchased" by the plaintiff (bank) and the limited inventory (at least in Hillsborough County) is often bid-up by neophytes or snatched up by large wholesalers and other REI firms that specialize in flipping C-class properties, there are few opportunities for us little fish.To keep myself motivated, I've been keeping a log of properties that went to third-party bidders (i.e. private buyers) which I could have bought had I been monitoring the auctions during periods when I was too busy to do so.

I need to get back to my roots.