I am not finding great new inventory. 

The designer is on top of it and will find an alternative.Given where we are, the estimated CO date has slipped to May and I am changing the schedule status to yellow.Work ItemsComplete this weekPour driveway approachMolding /door casing is complete To Complete next weekCabinets are to arrive and installFinish fenceStart tileMeasure granite tops - orderedForm driveway approachBlocking IssuesPurchasing tile - tile company doesn’t have selected tile in inventory.

If you review each file you can see when they file their inventory if they own land. 

Get on as many wholesaler lists as you can so you can see the inventory of properties out there.  

Several leases I had seen also had an inventory list with all furniture, kitchen items etc that the landlord makes the potential tenant sign off with respect to damage, going missing, etc.  

Dallas area home sales are down slightly from 2013, but that is due to historically low inventory. 

And you bring the inventory to them.

Yes the REO inventory is very thin and competition for those is high, as you've seen.I'd recommend getting some practice talking to owners/sellers directly; you'll have to do it sooner or later anyway, and the sooner the better IMO.For example, try "driving for dollars" which means driving (or biking or walking) around a neighborhood near you and calling on For Rent signs to ask if the owner might want to sell instead, or talking to people in the neighborhood about any vacant/derelict houses you see.You might also attend a local real estate investor group such as RIREIG in RI or Black Diamond in Worcestor/Waltham.

We'd like to continue buying real estate, but the way prices have increased and the lack of inventory, margins are being squeezed on newer acquisitions.

Mostly 2$ items but it is packed floor to ceiling, I would estimate inventory 25 to 35thousand.