The market is so hard for tenants to find anything without competing with 10 other applications that they are shotgunning their applications like an investor would when they are looking to purchase property.

If an agent has investing experience and is actively investing, there's a chance they would compete with me for a good deal.

They are slow as hell and in my experience non-qm lenders range in operational competence between incompetent to marginal. 

I have a rental in Maryland which I rent to women's college soccer players.

Now when I have conversations with other guitar players, I ask questions but also share my journey.

They have a number of disadvantages for investors: HOA fees, special assessments, less-than-competent boards.

Will your rental rates stay the same if residents compare your property to competing properties?

If you have to ask, then you are not a big enough player that you can use multiple agents.

You can usually save anywhere from 5-20% just buying in the cold winter months & not have to deal with so many multiple bids competing. 

But if you are in a market where you possibly are competing with long-term rentals or military housing or some other properties that require guests to bring their own (camping lodges?)