Yeah the craigs is not an end all but I do see all the non corporate and some large players run ads there.

The last couple years there have been big players buying up all the good houses.

I'm paying attention to all local BIG players in Atlanta. 

But like you mentioned, I bet most players in REI have had this exact feeling once or twice in their career.

Hello BP,    I have a sports organization that is interested in renting a SFH from us to house some of their players in.These are semi- professional players in the 25-30yr old range.The organization will pay for rent,utilities,security deposit, and damages.We have a system in place to screen ordinary applicants but not this situation.I'm thinking about what I need to do to thoroughly check this opportunity out.

It's a new industry and the 'players' don't have it quite figured out yet.

@Will Barnard  the reality is this is just nothing money the dollars are so small.I have never kept an EM deposit even though sometimes I wanted to just creates too much bad blood... heck a few grand to me is not going ot change my life style and if I beat it out of some shmuck .. like its apparent these Texas wholesalers do well just shame on them.Now if we were talking about a major project or bigger money with bigger players then that may be something different. .However like when I have flipped plats to DR Horton and other builders..

Go ask some of the players in Silicon Valley!

Its a lot of politics involved with becoming a commercial investor to be reckoned with in any big city and there are many big players in town already each dominating particular sections of the city.  

Get connected your local REIA and see who the real players are.