Over the years I have found some great ways to find plenty of properties that have little or no competition. 

Definitely, would see Airbnb competitive threat for the vacation market.  

Half of something is better than nothing, especially in highly competitive markets.We see a million newbies post walls of texts about their dreams and aspirations and disappear/quit because they lack grit and this is merely a fad for them.

@Ryan PhillipsI think you're idea is more likely to work in a competitive market like San Diego, than the boonies but really it depends on what the bottleneck is for a given area.

I'm also looking to add to my rental portfolio, I like the idea of going after short sales to avoid cash buyer competition though i've heard from many its a huge pain 

Prices have come up a lot and there's more competition here now but prices still remain low with high cash flow.

Make your mailer look different than your competition if you want to stand out.

All very competitively priced to market rates.Beyond that, there are lenders offering programs based on your cash flow into your bank account for people who are self-employed but cannot really document a couple years of it.

Dupage, lake and Kane border on some ridiculous levels.Even as you venture into the suburbs, I can tell you from experience that competition is still pretty stiff.

A good accountant and financial advisor could probably give you all the knowledge you need for a fraction of the cost.I don't begrudge anyone trying to earn a dollar, in fact, I encourage it, but you might be wise to direct your resources in another direction.