A triplex next to one of my triplex rentals illustrates the difference.

It's work and takes efforts and I use multiple approaches to locate good,properties.I would like to help you by reframing your guidance "I want a deal not retail" from an agent's perspective and then from an investor's perspective.Many agents are investors themselves.Not sure of the price point in your market but by way of illustration.....Let's assume by "deal", you mean something like 10% below market.Say an agent finds a "deal" as defined as above.....let's say it's a house priced at $90,000 that's worth a $100,000.The agent could sell it to you and make 3% of $90,000 or $2,700 in commission.Or agent could buy house for their own account and have $10,000 instant equity.If you were the agent, what would you do?

Definitely illustrates the difference between Texas and Connecticut as Texans are not fans of over regulation.

The two kinds of respiratorsundet discussion, illustrated.

@Clint CoonsWould you mind explaining how an S Corp avoids NIIT under your illustrated fact pattern if you don't extract taxable income from the corp as W-2 income?

Like I said, there are always more sides to the story and what I was really attempting to illustrate is how when this thing ends up in court it very well might end up going sideways from how you want it to!

That aint exactly right either my friend, but I've seen it done and it will work if done the right way however, the next guy down the line will be cursing you like you're cursing the former, especially if the next guy is German - lol.To illustrate... 

Oh come on now Axel, you know what I mean--LOLAnd I get your point (shades of grey when I'm illustrating with black and white (good catch).Good Luck! 

As far as personal qualities goes:1) Quality of workmanship2) Quality of workmanship3) Quality of workmanship4) No Alcohol consumption on the job5) Dependable show ups6) Experience on a particular type of job (if semi-complicated such as countertop installs vs light bulb replacement)7) Doesn't need CONSTANT supervision or granular directions8) Pride of workmanship when finishedI picked these pics off of the internet to illustrate 7) and 8).This guy wouldn't be a good fit for me (although for some people he would) because "You didn't tell me you wanted it smoothed out Boss" or "That's the way it's done", or "That's all you paid for"--isn't what I'm looking for in a workman.Compare the above pic to the one below, that has been completed in a "Neat and workmanlike manner".

I am not saying my financial interests are not a major consideration here, just illustrating how the one protects the other.How one protects the other.