I'd like more transparency in why it's recommending someone as a connection.

Reminds me of many other successful folks in every respective industry, who painstakingly climbed the unpaved steps - becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.Great transparency - that's the part of the "overnight success story" not many have a glimpse into - the stress and struggles that etched the success.

@Tom Ott  I have been to their offices.. what they pitch is they will find some bank REO which I could never get a straight answer about.. then they have their preferred contractors.. so they are making a commission selling you the home.. ( which is transparent) although I could not figure out if they were double escrowing or making a little more juice on the sale then purported.. as I never pulled the trigger.then they have a preferred lender they want you to use.. which is a pleasant fellow ( never did a deal so don't know the back end). 

Rules are stringent and corruption high.Real estate markets in SE are not transparent.

Eeluding to what  @Donny Trana said everything is negotiable just stay transparent and make sure it is in the contract.

The release of this information would then allow the readers to make their own determination which we think is honorable and transparent.

As an investor you should expect an excellent standard of care and customer service packaged with transparency.

Your method of arguing is so transparent.  

You will not get that by reading guru self help books ... only through experience of living through it or listening to other more experienced than you who have and are transparent enough to talk about it openly.Also, your previous statement about me at risk of losing my shirt investing in CA SFRs is also absolutely correct ... personally, at present all my stuff is free and clear, so while not impossible to lose my shirt, it is kinda tough to go broke if you don't owe anybody anything :) I also have nothing against sensibly used leverage ...

What you think you'll save, you'll end up paying in excess repairs/maintenance, especially if they charge mark-ups and you have no transparency on actual cost to handle the repairs.