I closed on less units in 2024 than I did in 2023 but I put in a solid offer on a new deal this evening.

I reached out to RTR, they referred me to another contractor which gave me a bid that would increase the construction cost by 100K - or they offered to buy as is and I would take a 160K loss.It is terrible to fell this dumb!

Ask the seller's agent to put their counter offer in writing.

Interesting to see how feasible this will be. 

I have four units just like this and have a decorative fireplace is not an issue, at least in my area.It is quite standard in rentals to not offer a working fireplace for cost and liability issues. 

These tend to offer personalized service without getting lost in the shuffle.Verify Their Specialization: Some companies are better with single-family homes, while others excel with multi-family units.

The best advice I can offer is to focus on building connections.

Multiple offers are now the rare exception, not the norm.

If you are looking for property in San Diego that is going to have good initial cash flow, you are going to either have to identify an obscure value add or expect to spend a lot of time and effort to find good off market purchase (most off market offers are not great). 

Start with a rental that has modest rehab requirements such as updating kitchens and bathrooms and make sure you qualify for permanent financing through a lending source that offers interest rates similar to that of  a bank.