MOST transaction aren’t BELOW market, although I’d venture that 85% of those buyers BELIEVE they’re purchasing real property at a discount.  

The only exceptions I can think of are a lack of experience frustrating your financing process or where the GC has such a well established brand that a buyer will pay a premium for a home built or renovated by that particular contractor.

DT Long Beach: beachy urban setting with smaller units 1bdr; close to tourist attractions, and thinking I can STR one unit; BUT high crime rate (90 percentile); properties are older but more attractiveIs it better to go into a slightly better neighborhood in boring Riverside or a more crime ridden area of cool kid Long Beach?

Jonathan, just to clarify the process: After I get seller under contract t, I then find the end buyer, and the second contract is between the agent and the end buyer.

I've lately been working on doing the same in Puerto Vallarta.I'm also working on putting a group of buyers together to do our own developments together with local associates.Have you invested in Mexico yourself?

As an investor buying rental properties, the buyer should never have to pay a fee to purchase something. 

It all comes down to picking the right areas that work well with your personality and attract the type of clientele you feel comfortable working with. 

Take for example, while representing buyers in single family transactions, during the negotiation, I ALWAYS ask the sellers to credit the buyer(s) up to 3% of the asking price toward the buyers costs.

You need to make sure that your property is easily financeable if you decide to sell it in the future and any future buyer can call out non-permitted items and actually report you to the building department or, at a minimum, ask for seller concessions.

I’m near the i10 that seems to attract people since that’s the only freeway here.