(He's suggested I go low/under asking price in several occasions when it called for much higher offers to win the bid.)

@Brian Burke - this is a bit off the initial topic but it relates to your post - I completely concur that IRR is probably the best metric for evaluating a property and i have seen @Ben Leybovich mention that on multiple occasions as well.

I learned from that lesson to get verification of prior work and referrals.Next guy was a referral from my wholesaler, a contractor he had used on many occasions.

The tenants also ignore my letters, emails, phone calls and texts when I try to reach out to them. in one occasion I went to do a home inspection and they refused to give me access to the property and even threatened me to the point where I had to call the police. 

I have been very very close on numerous occasions to buying TK properties (from "reputable" providers over the past year.

My prime contractor on the 90 homes who will make over 1 MILLION dollars from me with zero risk and zero staff turned me down LOL.. so I am just building it with my license and the subs I am shaming them into working ont he job. and to be fair they are rising to he occasion and helping me big time since I have never actually GC' d a house before I always hire it out.   

I felt you were overreacting to seeing the trucks parked at the property on one occasion and jumping to the conclusion the friend had moved in.

If it's someone that your closer has had direct experience with on numerous occasions you can start to feel like they'll be legitimately what you'll need.

Real estate was something that happened on occasion when a deal jumped in front of me.

I had, on several occasions, people would tell me that they saw my bandit signs all over town and even had a few tell me that their relative in another state saw them too..