You can invest and not be a competitor as an agent.

You get an overall higher ranking score because you get extra Google points for having a faster website than the competitor's

Having the largest and best positioned property in your market will set you apart from you competitors and leave a positive lasting impression on those considering your services.

I would look at the pictures from your potential competitor's places.

We also don’t allow individuals who are confirmed to offer competing listings or experiences to post reviews of their direct competitors.

I'll probably have to watch my competitors price more closely.

But we dont have more inventory, we dont have lower prices, and there is definitely not less competition.I guess my point is that a newbie is going to have a really hard time getting into the game, and the mom and pop landlords (like me) will have a hard time getting deals that actually make sense, and the guys with all the money will continue to purchase in cash essentially pushing out every other competitor.  

Or, is it just some kind of scare tactic designed to put what they believe are there non-licensed competitors (Wholesalers) out of business?

What other uniqueness and amenities does your Airbnb offer compared to the competitors.

Rent growth has slowed sharply in many U.S. cities, while inflation and growing insurance premiums have raised the cost of running buildings.A new crop of private real-estate firms, funded mostly by floating-rate debt and small-investor cash, have become bigger competitors in the multifamily market.