Of course, its very competitive, so its difficult to find cashflow in Pierce County. 

Being a little below the competition will get you a tenant quickly.  

It's a junk rental and he has to spend his own money on marketing the rental but his competition is much more experienced.

I could simply offer to manage the property for them, but I'm willing to forgo short-term revenue and cashflow for long-term equity and wealth building.Value-adds:Here are the three major things I think I bring to the table that other investors (especially those not focused on this niche of the market) don't have:Acquisition: Access to off-market vacation-rental-approved properties at below-market ratesSet-up: Expertise with navigating the necessary licensing, connections to furnish properties quickly and extremely affordablyOperation: Successful (and proven) management (above-market revenue and occupancy--high reviews, fast response time, competitive rates, etc.)I would thus definitely say I bring value to the table. 

I consider that a competitive advantage that I will have in the long run.

In my area there are literally hundreds of similar ads posted, as this is a highly competitive market!

I think allowing pets are a huge competitive advantage.

Actually most first time investors form an LLC with an experienced one to qualify for competitive loans.

If you are looking on market, you really just have to be quick to jump on a deal in the area since everything is pretty competitive still and it is kind of difficult to find cash flowing deals listed on the MLS. 

You're also being overly cautious, which is understandable but also inefficient use of time. if the market is competitive then speed is the key, he's trying to tell you to go fast and you're resisting, do you have his best interest in mind?