My family company is called ABC Valet!

The seller lists an asking price, once offers start going over asking price I would argue that it is the Seller's agent's responsibility to follow-up with each of the people who were outbid and try to get the sell the TRUE highest and best offer. 

While the property looks good on paper using that method, I then went on to argue that this is a situation where the 50% Rule is not the correct tool.You could use something higher than 50% for your expenses and still apply that rule, but at that point you're guessing how much more your taxes and PMI will raise the expenses above 50% of your income.

The tenant lived in fear of things going wrong with the house, knowing that the landlord would take advantage of every service call as an opportunity to argue for raising the rent.

My general comment that I argue with people all the time about is that in real estate, your money is made up front - not after the fact. 

Remember your ABCs...

Look at the huge Cener campuses in KC, it raised the prices some in the local areas, but it wasn't anything crazy (or at least crazy by CA appreciation standards).https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2017/0...I'm not saying it didn't help, but housing ALL OVER KC is already hot and has been (I'd argue OOS investors dumping money drives prices more than a company).If you want to deep dive it, it all started around 03http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article334952/Cerner-seals-the-deal-on-4.3-billion-office-plan-at-Bannister-site.html

If so then maybe you have an ethical reason to proceed and I wouldn't argue with you at all. 

I've argued with appraisers before and gotten them to occasionally raise the value.

However I'd argue that your prof. service fee be paid out before anyone gets equity cuts, in case the sale is not as lucrative as planned, you still get your fee.