Something else to consider is that a lot of property investors are institutional investors, so if there is a market crash and prices are "great" your investment dollars are now competing with tons of investors that have years of data and have cash on the sidelines waiting to be deployed, and can react much faster and clearer than a new investor just starting out. 

@Johann Jells,Don't hate the player, hate the game!   

This COMPLETELY depends on the competency level of the agent in question.

You will bet to small for a large national firm to buy you out, thus they will compete against you. 

Neither is supposed to complete P/A if there are doubts about signer's competency (at the time of signing).

So what you see, typically, is that these places were bought by enterprising and largely competent working-class handymen some time in the 1950s-1960s, who lived in them and worked hard to maintain them well up through the 1980s-1990s.Typically, by then, the buying handyman was aging out of the work force and had raised and educated his kids to be white-collar middle class.

I'm passionate about renovations and constructions, attentive to details, fast learner, team player.

I'm passionate about renovations and constructions, attentive to details, fast learner, team player.

Blue collar worker are important player in the real estate industryDo things change if US reduces forces there or changes off base housing policies? 

In this market if the home just needs a basic facelift you are competing with retail buyers who also have all cash to buy homes. 6.