They say sellers "choose" a buyer agent amount under the threat of that agents might refuse to show a house if they (agents, not consumers) think the pay isn't enough.

But the answer for everyone may differ.Here are the personal attributes I see in those able to achieve a higher than market ROI, enough higher to be able to “scale”.1- Knowledge of real estate principles, real estate law and real estate finance2- Minimum 3 -5 years full time, or near full time experience directly related to real estate investing3- Ability to utilize technology for increased efficiency, capacity, and accuracy4- Excellent hired legal counsel and excellent hired marketing help5- Established method(s) of obtaining consistently high QUALITY deal flow6- Ability to manage and choose people who are NOT employees: Attorneys, Appraisers, Mortgage Brokers, Real Estate Brokers, Title Companies, Surveyors, Marketing Specialists, Accountants, Contractors, Consultants, Property Managers7- A VERIFIABLE track record of success8- Ability to identify, analyze, and negotiate a deal that can be “worked” for “enhanced” ROI9- Some type of competitive advantage; for example for me it’s my ability to analyze and identify mortgage loans that are actually less risky than all other lenders believe (on the investing in debt side), and on the real property side it’s my ability to analyze”pull the trigger” with LESS information than other investors need,  combined with the ability to pay cash, or raise significant capital almost instantly as well as being able to obtain loans at the lowest prime customer bank rate with no recourse or personal liability.  

One of the board members was there and is looking to retire, We hit it off and he opened up his 30+ property portfolio to me to choose from.

Here's how it works:If their deposit is $1,500, they can either choose to pay the SD in full or elect to take out what is essentially a loan with Rhino Insurance and only pay $25 per month ($20 goes to Rhino and the remaining $5 goes to the PM company) toward their $1,500 SD.

Investors should therefore exercise significant care when choosing their Qualified Intermediary because of the critical role the company will play in the administration of their 1031 Exchange transaction.It is extremely important to note that 1031 Exchange Qualified Intermediaries are generally not required to be licensed, regulated, audited or otherwise monitored by any regulatory body.

Insurance is expensive, there is a lot of extra maintenance like painting or electric in common areas that don't apply as much with smaller units. 

We fixed everything in the first 3-5 weeks, plus paint, carpet, landscaping, then rented it out.

In my area, they actually require a little more than the local municipality and lately have been especially strict on cracked paint because they were recently sued and lost.

Hi @Allie William WilsonYour post caught my eye because of your thoughtful approach to choosing the right market for your next investment.

I've also launched a residential real estate painting company.