Long story short we get comps, and give Mike an offer in writing.

Umbrella insurers want 500K on the underlying policies - and some of my policies won't write that.  

However; you cannot try to get a lower price, knowing you can flip it for more, and receive a "secret profit", without fully disclosing that and having the sellers agree "in writing" to those terms.

Also remember there are many new and revised laws since the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act.Even as I write this, one of our auditors is going through a pile of Contract for Deed loans that a community owner wants to sell.

Where sellers tend to want someone to just write them a check for whatever the seller thinks he/she can get.

Consider writing down all of your current needs.

We have seen lots of claims from folks who say this or that title insurance company will write a title policy but with over 100 properties, we have yet to find one that actually got written. 

If you’re writing anything down, don’t write anything down until you get to this starting basis price.

I have experience buying and selling, doing listings, open houses, writing contracts, doing hard money lending, and more.

I did for the first 5 years in real estate.I realized how incredibly beneficial it is to represent yourself.These are my reasons-They are an extra middle man that is unnecessary for an astute and experienced investor.Typically the extent of their work is writing up the offer.They can waste valuable time.