Single-family management companies are seeing interest from buyers.

I am considering getting into this space (looking at some courses), but worried that its too late, and that deep local market knowledge/understanding of buyers/connection with developers etc is required to make this work, which only incumbent/long term investors will have and would be hard for a new entrant starting from scratch to catch-up...is my hypothesis valid in your opinion ?

It essentially includes having a buyer for a specific property BEFORE entering  in a contract with a seller.  

Then you'll need to find land, acquire it, find a spec home buyer and set up meetings to design plans or buy a set online with mods.

This imbalance intensifies buyer competition, driving up home prices as demand outstrips supply.2.

I think it will add more competition to the rental market and the buyer market specifically up in N Phoenix, Deer Valley, Desert Ridge, and then up into Anthem - but will bring up value throughout the county. 

congrats on the Naca program I have sold a  handful of my OREO to Naca buyers.. its a great program takes some resolve to go through their initiation process. 

Would the rent amount seem unreasonble to a buyer if you tried to sell it.

We're currently renting downtown and looking to get started as first-time home buyers in an owner-occupied duplex situation to start our path in rei. 

In some cases, I've had a buyer lined up by the time I close.