Spoon feeding her deals and commission"If you feel your agent doesn't bring value to the table than cut them loose and do it on your own.My neighbor across the street is an engineer and refers to brokers/agents as "blood sucking vampires".Great if he feels that way.I feel he is way overpaid for what he does as well.So people will many times look at things through a different filter depending on what side of the fence they are on.Dual agency along with buyer rebates are against the law in some states.So when people are posting things it is best to check with your state about what is or is not acceptable.In my database I have about a thousand investors.I work with only a select few on a daily basis and the rest are deal driven meaning if I have the property and they have cash we do the transaction.Some want a relationship and some don't.I would express to the agent what you expect for the fee.You can't expect from someone what you don't tell them you want.Then if they don't rise to your expectations you have been clear and make the break with a clear conscious.

I have heard there is a form or two circulating that will help in estimating repairs.

Derek,most people think that you have to mass advertise which I disagree, you have to pick a smaller list and continue to work that and be in their presence more and your results will be better. 25 letters send 4 times a month to a specific list is better than 1000 letters once every month to a bigger list. every one thinks you just need one way to do marketing, you have to always be flexible and have variety of stuff to do your marketing with to generate new blood. all business either have too much or too little business as it is never balanced, its either family or feast. you should never turn off the marketing machine and constantly be looking out to take in new business with different strategies, as your business grows you continue using marketing but get pickier who you want to take on as a client. there is no magi pill of one item for successful marketing there are probably over 30 different things to do and you must be doing all 30 to get new customers.

I personally think that if you have blood, sweat, and tears in this deal and you know in your heart you can get it done then you have every right to file a notice of contract.

I don't have the blood for that again even if. 2-3 dozen should be okay.

I'm not going to attempt this one...too risky for my blood!

I would still charge the security deposit and not let our super stupid idiots at the city council deter me from collecting a security deposit and paying your tenants a stupid 1% or $10 for a $1,000 security deposit.If you are so worried about being $1.00 off and getting fined be the best landlord in town and give your tenants $20 every year and they will think they died and wen to heaven.As for not getting a security deposit and suing for damages, you can't squeeze blood from a rock and I found it is cumbersome, time-consuming and expensive to take a tenant to court and win, go to court a second time for an appeal and win and go to court two to three more times to do discovery for your tenant's assets to try to collect on your judgement and still not get one penny.

They can vary from 10% with zero points and a hand shake up to 15% with 5 points and they want your blood type and your first born.

I got a letter from the state saying that the tenants son was seen at the hospital and has a high level of lead in his blood system and they are linking it to material in the house.

Collecting on a judgement ends up being more time and hassle than it's worth, as you are usually trying to get blood from a stone, so to speak.