In spite of all of this, La Crescenta is probably about ~25% above 2007 peak levels. 

However, I do not expect prices to decrease in the next 2 years, so I would like to purchase in spite of the market being so hot.

I feel that I am having moderate-high success thus far with my career and real estate in spite of the fact that I wake up at an average to late time. 

At 55 days past the receipt pre-approval letter, he tells me that the buyer has past "credit issues", so in spite of my questions about the quality of the pre-approval and his answers assuring me that he had done the homework on it, it was not worth the paper it was written on.On the other sale, he pre-approved my buyer for a $0 down USDA loan.  

Homesellers are well within their rights to direct their listing agent to throw away any offer not accompanied by preapproval (or proof of funds) without even presenting it, in spite of the common claim that listing agents are "required" to submit all written offers. 

I'm glad it has worked out for you as you've been able to obtain multiple properties in spite of the hurdles. 

This has kept the multi family market strong and also contributed to SF appreciation...in spite of the hit to the oil industry.

I live in the Bay Area in California and in spite of great income from my W2 job, property is expensive.

In spite of my attempts at keeping everything separate in practice, from a legal standpoint I imagine the corporate veil would be pretty easy to pierce at this point!

He was impressed in my representation of that previous property, my thoroughness of information provided to the public, and my skills in negotiating a phenomenal sales price (in-spite of that properties distressed nature and need for repairs).