If they have unrealistic expectations of what I'm trying to do, it will end up wasting a lot of my time and get their hopes up for no reason (which will leave them angry at me in the end).Remember, your service will only strike a nerve with a small segment of the people you're mailing to - so don't be bashful about steering the wrong people away.

You have to be an unrealistic to achieve your goals!"

Eric I respect your opinion but do not agree with the (ludicrous) remark.Every time I here this flat fee scenario it is the same as the FSBO.Simply put if it was that easy EVERYONE-EVERYWHERE would use a flat fee service.I do not know the types of properties you are selling but I suspect they are very well done rehabs priced in the middle to lower pricing to sell fast.In that case as I mentioned the price and quality will draw buyers and agents in regardless of the commission as appraisal is usually easier.I don't see this as all the properties on the market.Many properties have unrealistic sellers and buyers.This requires multiple price reductions,appraisal issues,more negotiations,etc.

This causes spectators and followers to have unrealistic expectations, especially if they're new in the industry.

I agree, and disagree, TBH.I agree that expectations can be unrealistic, that anyone who says it's easy is lucky or much smarter than me, and that you're absolutely correct about not buying into the hype being very important.This said, I do have some feedback based on my own experience (which I guess like some others is a bit of an "outlier") - take it as you will, it's not meant to demean or say you're wrong / have done something poorly; it's just to give another perspective, and maybe some ideas. 

The gurus often set unrealistic expectations for results.

They honestly know what they are doingThe true way to know if someone is reputable is if they know their guidelines, can call you out if you are being unrealistic, and are quick to kill a deal rather than piece gum together and see if it will pass.

If it is the contract buyer, I think that is a bit unrealistic to have a financed, non investor buyer put 50k down on a 200k property.  

I'm not saying it's impossible to get small, value-add MF in the Southeast, but I am saying that most people I talk to have no idea what they're up against and often have unrealistic expectations of what they can buy here for the money.

We just need to get accustomed to the fact that it was an unusually good market before, and if we insist on those exact conditions returning before we purchase our next investment property, we will pass up on getting good assets because our expectations are unrealistically high.