After all, you figure you're still getting the ownership of this stock for a fraction of the overall value.Furthermore, you recognize that the 5% dividend on an increasing value is an increasing dollar figure, so eventually, the dividend will entirely cover the payment to the bank.

The 3% mortgages have MORE servicing value for the opposite reason, these ones aren't likely to be refinanced any time soon, and the market thinks they are less likely to be paid off via home sale to boot.This isn't about your or my crystal ball predictions for inflation and interest rates, this is about billions of dollars of real life bets being placed on Wall Street and by big banks.There's another reason big banks are valuing these low rate mortgage pools: Thanks to some deregulation that happened, they get to use the escrow accounts as "deposits" for the purpose of fractional reserve banking.

Seems wickedly competitive but worthwhile for a few aspects.

It's ultra-competitive here to the point I'm considering looking for buy-and-holds out of state.

If you're looking at the numbers, response rates are roughly 1.5% but it varies based on so many factors so it doesn't mean anything until you test it yourself: list quality, content of your marketing, follow-through on mailings, competition in area, which day it lands at, many factors.So if you're going to start, make sure you have a sustained campaign for at least 7 mailings.

You have the smarts and the empathy... if you can channel that into authentic copy, it'll be a competitive advantage.

Especially in today's competitive market where new people are entering and leaving all of the time.I would agree with @David Michael that getting your real estate license is a good idea.

They will essentially be forced to choose between remaining competitive and remaining viable.And none of this is to say that its "a patriot's duty" or any such thing to invest in single family homes. 

With the increased competition among sellers, it’s crucial to prepare a listing to stand out among the rest and work to address buyer objections prior to going on market.

But in Los Angeles theres strong competition and if Im going to do this I need to be perfect spot on.I have tons of "other" agents letters and post cards , so I know very well what my competition is doing,