I have been reading  and listening to some more podcasts and the theme of the current environment seems to be: 1) tightest market in decades, 2) extremely low likelihood of finding good deal on MLS and 3) must find off-market deals.My question to the community, especially any sellers, what is the benefit of selling off-market?

In either case, I find this behavior amongst agents extremely misleading and bordering on a breach of fiduciary relationship with their clients because it takes away a potentially higher sale number.

This is extremely helpful.

I am extremely eager to start building equity and constructing a real estate portfolio, however home prices, in California especially, are at an all-time high.

If you are getting cold feet just tell them, they will accept #2 - it can easily be reactivated. 

It will only get worse.Yes, this sounds cold but I have done both option 1 and option 2... and the good feelings from option 1 does not outweigh the suck of having an entire year of cashflow disappear.

I’m interested in cold calling and direct mail.

Extremely helpful! 

There are some extremely supply constrained markets where the national average over decades won't compare.

Options may include Direct Mail, Driving for Dollars, Cold Calling, bandit signs, etc.