I regularly comb through the MLS and run the numbers on properties in the pursuit of a deal that I can present to an investor (providing me the opportunity to be the buyer's agent now and possibly the seller's agent in the future) but as you know, that is the most competitive marketplace and deals are getting harder and harder to come by.

Im not sure what market you are in but its pretty competitive in most places.

We fell in love with area and I still work in North VA so it makes sense.I've read and seen how competitive it is right in Richmond market so I'm a little bit worried about first starting out in a sellers market.

There's a lot of competition and it's priced that way.

Sorry, I'm more from the "Look at Your Competition and do it Better Than Them" course. 

I will add that generally speaking, and in a competitive market, great deals are not found but created by negotiations, marketing, creativity, the ability to solve problems for others, and lots of work.

I'm an Illinois real estate attorney and am unfamiliar with the standard and customary fees charged by title companies in the Tampa Bay area.I do have some observations and comments.The larger and reputable builders in the Chicagoland area do offer credits if you choose their lender and mostly the lender fees charged are competitive. 

I don't want more competition!

I realize there are a lot of other factors that depend on your success (i.e. closing rate, market, competition, systems you have in place, etc), but listening to an old podcast (#81) with Michael Quarles he said that he saw a roughly 8-10x gross return on marketing.

Will you receive competitive rates due to volume discounts the company receives from vendors?