Those of you who know me know that I'd never do something as stupid, selfish or sloppy in my real estate business as they have claimed.

I'm trying to tell myself that this guy is selfish and doesn't want the competition.

Basically, they owe you $ 1300 and you have $ 400 deposit, so that leaves $ 900.00 I would probably just eat it, provided they leave the property clean and paint touched up, so, that a new tenant can move in.It's not as if they did this to be mean or selfish, but because they don't see any other way out to catch up. 

Give them at least 24 hours to think anything over so you don't come across as greedy/selfish/etc.

because he's normally busy, and I want him to be ready for my houses.. call me selfish, but,  I want to be first in line!   

@Nick C.Ok so it's not so much the act but more so the way business is conducted in a selfish sleazy way.

I would have told my younger self to be more selfish and to focus on my goals and my purpose.

If he were reasonable--and, again, he is not--he would have agreed to submit my offer of a total commission of 4% (asking Greedy there to serve as facilitator), which he could keep all to his selfish little self. 

I will be honest with you that most investors including myself are not exactly open to sharing our private money lenders because selfishly, once one person that is well connected finds out the private money dries up super fast. 

There is a lot of information about this in How to Win Friends and Influence People, as well as Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene.