They are more efficient than traditional system and provide healthier air for breathing (dust is pushed around everywhere).

My contractor thinks copper is healthier but I know it is more expensive and harder to install.  

Congrats on getting yourself repositioned in a healthier market! 

The economy is a lot healthier so that is a possibility.

All these funds aim to buy assets on the cheap after widespread selloffs that have knocked down prices on healthier securities, too."

I'd like to think that I belong to a breed that you would not be embraced of or by :)

Also, be OK and embrace your lack of knowledge in all areas of the business - I find most individuals are more than willing to help you close the knowledge gap.

The market would bear the cost assuming all investors passed the cost along to tenants unfortunately there are far too many hobby landlords that are killing our business.If we could get rid of the majority of small landlords that do not operate as a business our industry would be 10X healthier. 

we run 2 REIC clubs in Southern Calif.we teach / train  - learn to embrace the competition - they truly are allies - they go into our network data base -we touch them 2 times per week via emailWe get a lot of deals from our like minded investors (competition) how??

If you just want to kill time or love looking at other people's homes, then these are in fact good agents to you.However if you want to hire someone to manage the process for you and keep it from consuming every weekend for six months, than you might want to look elsewhere.Understand this: It doesn't take a lot to become a real estate agent in most states (a $300 two week class in my state followed by a multiple choice test) so there are a lot of people who think they can hustle a get-rich-quick scheme without working (the bored housewife/starving waiter categories) and then there are people who have embraced real estate as a career.