There are a couple other serious players though.What I did learn was that capitola in particular has a short-term rental zone, and my home was 1 street too far back from the beach (http://www.cityofcapitola.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/community_development/page/2480/vacation_rental_area_map_tro.pdf).

Huge amount of capital being spent by big players in the Chemical industry (Big Oil & Gas) in Places like Baytown and on the East side of town.

I suspect we will see a lot of the smaller players with little experience having to unload their properties with the rising interest rates. 

In most cases, a buyer who's assuming violations is also required to deposit funds into an escrow account with the city in order to prove that he or she has the financial capabilities to repair the violations that are being assumed.

All of these big players have internal sales people that have access to many more products than what they offer to the public.

I'm curious if that will change and we'll see another player de-throne Airbnb in the future.

Of course, there are financial news sites like Bloomberg and CNBC.For real estate specifically, The Real Deal is awesome for keeping up-to-date on not only the market, but also seeing what the big players are acquiring.Regardless, I think the best way is by joining a group of people who are actively investing in real estate because those are the people at the front lines.I would highly recommend you check out Tim Bratz's stuff.

So it's not like a big player hasn't come in and upended the local market.

I suggest developing relationships with folks who have access to off-market deals as part of your acquisitions strategy.To name two areas, take a look in the vicinity of Temple University, as revitalization continues to push farther from campus, and around Temple University Hospital, where prices are still relatively low and several major players and the city are investing significant dollars in the coming years.

Be firm and fair in your tenant interactions, screen well, have a clear and comprehensive rental agreement, take swift action if a tenant does not comply with the terms of the rental agreement, know landlord-tenant law better than your tenants, take reasonable precautions, have sufficient insurance, have a good professional team which includes an attorney, maintain good business practices, respond to tenant needs in a timely manner, be respectful and courteous, be a community player, and landlord with integrity.