Sellers generally recognize that some assets are likely mispriced, whether too high or too low, because the sellers knows less than local investors and are likely relying in large part on BPOs.   

I deal with wholesalers every week on my fundings  or should I say I see their fee's on the HUDS every week.. if I see one come in that is just way to high  like a 50k purchase and 50k assingment fee I wont fund it..

Here are some indicators to help you assess a buyer's seriousness:Questions: Serious buyers will ask detailed questions about the property, such as maintenance costs, neighborhood amenities, and property taxesStrong Offer: If a buyer makes a strong offer quickly, it often indicates a high level of interest and intent to purchasePrivate Buyers: If approached by a private buyer, ensure they provide a Letter of Intent (LOI) and proof of funds.  

I would highly encourage paying a GC to walk deals out the gate, have them give a scope of work so you can see what items costs.

My advice would be to partner with someone who has additional funds so you can buy something that is of quality. $8k won't get you anything in a class B or A market with 20% down or even 10% down. keep going though!

A few of them also mentioned that they don't really expect this to affect the housing affordability in the county, but do believe that STRs can affect the quality and integrity of the neighborhoods in the county which they want to preserve.  

@Chris Kay finding a quality, cost-effective contractor is extremely difficult:(There are thousands of contractors that are great talkers, but rarely perform within budget.Standard bait & switch is to lowball a bid, then once they get started all sorts of things "pop up" that somehow their bid didn't cover.

Also, which choice is better for you highly depends on what your real estate goals are and the experience level & skillset of the specific agent.Traditional agent and Redfin Agent could essentially be the same thing in many cases.

Be sure your lender is comfortable with this, as many fear giving folks primary loans for properties they view as having a high probability of being turned into a purely investment.

Here's the problem: They are not a sustainable asset for most to own; they are difficult and costly assets to exit through a sale; if you achieve favorable refinances, you may be able to use those funds to buy other (hopefully better assets) but are now faced with operating highly leveraged bad assets.