If you have to participate in an auction you increase your competition.

If there isn't much competition in your area or if you are the only investor the seller is calling then that might be fine, but in a market with stiff competition you will have to bring a strong offer.

This  gives the under the radar bunch a competitive advantage in a market that almost completely driven by price.Rehabbers on the other hand are trying to keep costs as low as possible because it is already hard finding properties at the price point were you can make any money when adding in Realtor and closing fees which generally add 8-10percent to the equation.Would love to here others opinions on the topic.Thanks and have a great day.

. Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price. Confer with escrow companies, lenders, home inspectors, and pest control operators to ensure that terms and conditions of purchase agreements are met before closing dates.

In the view of things from the vantage point of my small fraction of the universe, the truth is a bit of @Adam Johnson, a bit of @James Wise with a cameo by @Mindy Jensen.If I am meeting a real estate agent for the first time, I will glance over - and in - their car, just as I would a prospective tenant (it's almost subconscious now).  

Although I've been investing since 1999, I've only managed to build my portfolio to a fraction of what I hoped I would have by now.  

Going the online auction route cuts out a lot of competition.

If you are looking into getting into a market that isn't already highly competitive for land like Ontario or LA, I know that San Bernardino has plenty of available raw land next to their new, state of the art airport.

We feel better to let our competition have them and maybe they would be a better fit.

I am from a small community of only 3,500 people and don't have much competition as I am the only flipper in the area that does more than one or two flips a year.