I'll definitely avoid downtown and focus my search elsewhere.Getting pre-approved beforehand is a great tip, and I wouldn't have thought about clearly communicating my ideal vs. maximum budget to a realtor.

Issues take weeks to identify as senior support only communicates with their dev team via email.

Negotiations were swift and efficient, allowing us to secure the home for $185,000.

Your best bet might be to find a private fund that aggregates money and lends it back out to real estate investors.It is worth adding that this is not a tax-efficient way to get involved with real estate.  

My suggestion is to communicate being a "problem solver" vs a 1-trick pony like every wholesaler mailing "all cash, quick close" cards or realtors sending out "just listed or just sold" postcards trying to attract a listing.

I vividly recall calling you when you started and providing you with my direct cell phone number to encourage open communication.

Our efficient project execution and market strategy resulted in a significant return on investment, highlighting the strength of our partnership.

Our efficient project management and timely market actions resulted in a strong return on investment.

Through efficient negotiations, we secured the property for $162,000 on favorable terms.

You can not be 100% efficient 100% of the time.