I had a good relationship with the listing agent and was able to structure a below value deal (beating out iBuyers and other investor offers).

If they need access to the property immediately, you can offer to leave to them until you are ready to close. 

Great points, ZharaBirmingham has relatively steady and diverse rental demand, and I’ve seen many investors I work with have success with C/B class buy-and-holds.Location is key—areas near UAB, major employers, and popular suburbs tend to have the strongest rental demand, while C/D class markets offer solid affordable housing and Section 8 opportunities.

@Andrae S Wiggins recommend you upgrade your BP membership to Pro to access the BP Calculators to evaluate rental purchases.Play with the numbers to figure out the purchase price that gives you your target ROI.That's the number you'll need to make an offer at, NOT what the seller is asking.Yes, you will get a lot of rejects, but whoever said investing was easy?

On market, $6,000 over ask offer and waived inspections due to the pristine condition of the building and garage.

Sellers had multiple "accepted" offers and all were placed in interpleader accounts. 

These are great programs to use and NY offers a few as well as a couple of Nationwide DPA's and grants.

The best areas to consider include East Point, West End, Kirkwood, Decatur (outside city limits), and Marietta, each offering a balance of affordability, appreciation, and rental demand.

Also, how effective is their CRM—does it integrate well with other tools, and does it offer automation for follow-ups?

Also, don't complain about your offer not being accepted - just submit a better one or walk away - the seller doesn't care about anything other than how long its been on the market and how close to ask you are.