I wanted to comment on this thread regarding the competitiveness of offers right now and a couple strategies. 

The only downside is that the competition seems pretty crazy at the moment, so you'd have to network a ton to get decent deals, but obviously not impossible by any means.

@Shawn GardnerConventional Pros:- More competitive then FHA- No PMI like FHA- sometimes cheaper rate- Smaller monthly paymentCONS:-20-25% down

That's truly incredible especially in Silicon Valley where competition is stiff.

It is not essential to have laundry but it helps with the rental if that is what your competition has.

I’m in a very competitive market and just wanting to soak up as much as I can to stand against the crowd

I recently transitioned into the Corporate Real Estate role where I work for a global company.Recently, I purchased my first rental in Orange County.

We've been trying to fine tune the rates as well as getting the owners to invest into more amenities to make their homes more competitive/desirable.We own (3) 2 bed 1 bath apartments around 700 sq ft that perform way better. 75-90% occupancy.

Canaan,Jerryll is technically in competition with Carrot in that he offers SEO services to real estate investors.

I could see this as a way to limit competition for STRs.