Pretend to be a renter and shop the competition.

That's your "E-Z Button", you need a good PM so tap-out and get one STAT. 

There's a lot more competition than previous years, and prices are high.

Hi Max, I can speak about the Columbus Ohio market (as this is the market I specialize in) but yes, there is strong competition here and there are obviously some cash buyers and they will always have a slight advantage.

Now some people may argue higher interest rates are good, as it drives out competition on new acquisitions.

It's crucial to have a team that can provide both on and off-market opportunities, as Columbus can get a bit competitive.

There are opportunities out there but some strategies are risky. 1 - Airbnb (STR) comes to mind - very competitive, very saturated and becoming highly regulated.2 - Most STRs are transitioning to MTR so that market will be saturated soon if it isn't already.3 - Insurance crisis in florida is getting bad so those costs will eat up cashflow and short term appreciation.

@Khyree RandallI completely understand how frustrating it can be when the market feels overly competitive.

I live in Boston, but I was advised to start my real estate business elsewhere as Boston is very competitive.

I was willing to pay more than my competition.