Can a Real Estate Agent D4D?

[Joseph Ranola]

Hey guys, hear me out and sorry for the long read!

I hold a real estate license in Staten Island, NY where I do real estate (very) part time since 2018. I've recently come across an investor client, a very rich woman from Manhattan whom my uncle works security for since the early 2000's and has now become sort of her right hand man for everything. They've been flipping houses out in Long Island and parts of NJ for the last 2 years or so and now my uncle, who lives in Staten Island as well, is pushing her to flip houses out here. He called me and said he'd like me to be their agent to find them flips, I met with them and all is well- now I need to find some flips.

I'm a little disheartened with what I see on the Staten Island MLS every day. There are deals to be had sometimes but I've been thinking more and more that I need to get my own list of off market properties going in order to really be of unique and invaluable service to this client. It's crazy but she literally has unlimited funds and I want to find a ton of houses for her as time goes on!

With all of that being said, do real estate agents drive for dollars? I've been heavily researching Deal Machine and I'm liking what it does so I was thinking of jumping in and trying it out via that, I just don't know if that's a ridiculous idea for a real estate agent or not. I assume I'd have to put some sort of disclaimer letting them know I'm a real estate agent? I also assume that, say I get someone interested in selling, even if my client ends up not being interested in that particular property I could then throw it up on the MLS and sell it that way (if they wanted, of course).

I've just been a little confused in my journey because I'm trying to find the balance that I need in order to be a successful agent for an investor. Of course I want to be an investor myself, but we just had a baby and bought our first house within a month of each other so I'll definitely need to get some deals going with this client first and then use that capital to invest.

Bonus question! Say I go ahead with this and actually get a property for my client through driving for dollars- am I able to make money on that transaction as well, as a real estate agent, without violating any Realtor rules or anything? 

Thank you so much for any insight into any of this!!