Renting allows you to play the cash flow game, refinance, get out when you need to and eventually have a hefty income stream after 15 years where you only have to expand when you need to. 

You find your edge and you play the edge and you make money. 

Thank you Jerry, I currently own no properties and want to I guess play the middleman.

If you think you can, play the stock market and short all of the housing companies and REITs.- You cannot time the market.- Mortgage fraud is a terrible idea.

It turns out that person is ready to play the system and when I went to the door to speak with my tenant, she answered....

Play the long game and with patience acquire assets so that eventually you can transition out.Also, we are on the cusp of a recession - not an ideal time to leave a stable line of work!

It appears the rules have changed to the system at least temporarily and it's incredibly difficult to play the game when you don't know the rules. 

Dealer status doesn't really come into play. The

You can make excuses and play the blame game, but you will pay until the bill changes.

The other strengths of your agent I think should be standard (though they are far from that): communication, experience, good track record, high recent volume, market knowledge, etc.Lastly, no matter where you stand on the comfortability to profitability index, at the end of the day you have to play the field and take what the defense gives you (David Greene mentions this a lot).