Document your pretend offers in your 'tracker' and see how many sell in few days on the market vs. don't sell ... and price.  

I won't pretend to have a crystal ball, but since you're asking for gut...I think the market is turning from fiery to just hot, but directionally cooling, and (un)affordability on the Peninsula is creeping into 2004-2006 levels, so I don't predict a long, hot run ahead of us for the next 9-18 months.

Perhaps a RE agent who really does know not pretends or even an actual RMLO to run pre-qualifications for you which gives them an oppurtunity to write a loan for the borrower.  

Pretend you wanted to buy this property and do some some practice analysis to see if you think it would work as a rental investment.In short, I'd recommend just getting as active as you can in consuming as much information through books, podcasts and people as you possibly can.

Then go to the hearing with these comps and pretend like you're getting ripped off."  

I will only add this - there are a lot of pretenders in the turnkey space.  

The big difference is....in places like Atlanta, you might get shot in the back walking away....in Detroit, you'll get shot in the face, close up by someone pretending to say hello or worse.  

On the last day of the class, we conducted a role-play exercise in which Chris acted as a hypothetical seller while the students pretended to be the buyer, and you can tell from how Chris played his role that that he’s dealt with many sellers before.Having said that, I must say that his system – getting 0% seller financing in return for offering the seller a higher sale price – is not for everyone.

Don't pretend we didn't bang down the door of half your tenants when I was in Ohio last month searching for the short guy with the purple beard.

Although I think they know I am getting more than one bid, so why pretend otherwise?