If you can run a tight customer ship and be competitively priced, you're way ahead of most of your competition, IMO.

Every day there are bidding wars, contractors are now charging for bids because they are receiving so much rehab work, realtors are getting nervous and edgy with all of the competition their buyers are up against.But just what is happening in the California real estate market?

This is one way they differentiate themselves from their competition -- no different than offering a warranty or having a dedicated project manager to the job.To say that you don't think it should happen makes no sense to me...can you explain why you don't think it should happen?

I think it depends on the competition and what kind of tenants you're trying to attract.

How do you determine if the swimming pool is critical to being competitive?

In competitive markets like Pinellas County, agents can be inundated with inquiries.

Sure, you can get started without a dime in your pocket by birddogging (finding deals for other investors for a fee or cut of the profit), wholesaling (getting property under contract and turning it over to somebody else), master leasing, purchasing "subject to", and a myriad of other techniques, but I'm afraid you'll find everybody else and their brother is doing the same thing creating a mountain of competition.

Now as for the competitive aspects, quite clearly we must be very careful to not reveal any secrets.

They are articulate, they win awards for excellence in state wide competitions, and they do lots of public service activities.

This is more work than many investors are willing to do and more work than almost all owner occupants are willing to do, so there's less competition when I buy- Houses this age generally don't have structural issues.