but it's really, really tough right now as there is limited inventory, tremendous competition for deals, money is expensive, and good contractors are booked up.the equity in your home is an example of very expensive money. 

Therefore your main competitive advantage is price.

And the reality is  with most of CA being uber competitive as long as there is no collusion at the auction most of these homes would bid up to 70% or so everything being equal..

There is usually a close overlap that gives you a competitive advantage of knowledge or boots on the ground instead of nothing.

The meaningful relationships are earned by being a trusted advisor  who provides accurate information even if it means your client will be less competitive on that particular opportunity compared to the buyer who arrives at their purchase number based on bad advice. 

Still competitive due to lack of inventory but the return potential is much better.

It’s a prime time to hunt for deals and maybe even find some hidden gems in a competitive market.Sellers, make your listings pop!

They have deals you can look at with better margins and less competition compared to wholesale deals. 

NY Market is very competitive, so getting a good deal might be worth the investment of being flexible with your preferences or any upgrades needed on the property; cheap houses are houses that need work or problems that need to be fixed. 

Competitive multiple offers occur only on select properties, while others languish on the market.