I would also add that there is a strong correlation of platforms with an active crowd of investors and their exclusivity for admission.  

My thoughts are - that if agents knew what we know - they'd be investors -If you decide to work with an agent - train them to be your Fiduciary Buyers's Brokers - have them represent you exclusively (an you pay them the commission - not the seller) - make offers on expired listings - have them contact tax sales owners - make 3-5 offers weekly- attend rent court to find burned-out landlords - make offers - look for housing code violations on houses - contact the seller - make the violation go away - offer to buy their properties - flip them using the auction process.Don't be dependent on someone else for your financial success in this business - "If it is going to BE - it is up to ME!"

Is that exclusive of an emergency fund, or every dollar you've got?

When you are exclusively or heavily in the flip game, would you be able to hold you pockets to save $5-10mil?

I was "matched" through my lender with a RA but on our second conversation I was asked to sign an exclusive agreement.

How this can happen is always having more buyers than inventory supports and in some exclusive areas this is the normal...almost regardless of the rest.

@Sergei Genchev  If you signed an exclusive right to buy contract with your real estate agent, then you would be obligated to pay the agent his 3% even if you bought a property from a wholesaler.  

So, marketing to a retail buyer may be the only viable option...which as mentioned might best be done via an experienced and high performing real estate agent.Does anyone wish to comment on the idea of having a private auction, where you do newspaper and flyer marketing, canvasing the area immediate to the property and then having a 2 hour Sunday open house with a round robin phone auction the evening after the open house to any bidders who attended the open house, to get the house sold immediately?

I have only a couple units below $500 but I deal almost exclusively in units below $600. 

I have an ad in the local Grizzly newspaper.