Your listing is really pricey compared to your competition. 

I told him to talk to me before signing with an agent as I know it will cost him 5-6% additional which would reflect on a price increase plus I have to deal with competition.

When researching the competition, you must compare like to like properties.

This has had a net positive effect on mortgage rates with prime Government and Conventional (FHA/VA) often beginning with a 5 in the front and some DSCR rates now in the 6%'s...The on the ground response is likely a dramatic increase in buyer activity/competition.

The difference in this portion of the execution can be $30k-$60k/yr more money in your pocket vs. that of our competition all other factors equal (such as the property size/location).Next, to drive costs down, I co-host (only for clients) at 15% which is 5-15% less than the large PM firms.

There was a time when to be competitive in this market your best option would have been to pay cash, but with current market conditions I do not think that is necessary. 

Less competition: With less attention from institutional investors, individual buyers often face less fierce bidding wars.6.

For me I tend to look for markets not on the lists because maybe less people will be investing there and prices will be more competitive.

The LTR will be the easy button (compared to other strategies in real estate) but will be less cash flow.

He describes it like a big game of musical chairs with having to be in positions which are winning because his competition is in those positions and then try to guess when to get out before everyone is trying to get out at the same time so as not to be left without a "chair" or taking the loss.