They have to respect you. 

I always tell my tenants to notify me when there is a plumbing or electrical problem and I tell them not to worry about being blamed because as the owner of the property it is my obligation to make sure that everything is functioning as is expected.Treat your tenants with the respect they deserve and the way you like to be treated.

Finally, if you are concerned about an interaction, you could establish up front with whomever you are communicating with, and you will probably earn their respect and attention.

That being said, you should treat your realtor with respect.

A lot of forum members are very knowledgeable in their respective fields related to real estate investing, whether that is real estate sales, wholesaling, flipping, rentals, lending, self-directed IRA and Solo 401k investing, or tax and legal guidance.Discounts on some products and services are offered to BP members: https://www.biggerpockets.com/perks/proIf you haven’t been to it already, you might want to check out the BP blog: https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/The site has quite a few tools that can be helpful for new members.

If not, then please explain.I assume by "wants a piece of the action" you mean that neither one of you is bringing much cash to the table and plan to use your respective credits (or possibly just your father's) to secure long-term funding for these 6 properties.

Wouldn't you rather have a competitor who respects you and works with you? 

That is the issue I’ve noticed here in Atlanta with respect to townhome purchases.  

My rationale for a lower price is based on what I would need to make it work financially at a cap rate that is in line with the area.I think it is totally possible that the owner is not in a rush and wants to get what he believes it's the right price- I respect that and I'm ok to move on.

Fiddling with MLS is the BEST way to strip all your credibility with potential buyers and you will lose the respect of your peers.3).