Beginner Investor from Buffalo, MN looking for advice

[Aaron Haho]

Hello BiggerPockets Community!

My Name is Aaron Haho and I currently work for a full service commercial real estate firm in Minneapolis. I am currently working as a Property Administrator/Property Manager and our current portfolio is about 3,500,000 SF and approximately 500 apartment units. 

My short term goals are to owner-occupy a few rehabs or distressed duplex/triplex/quadplex's within a the Maple Grove, Rockford, Buffalo, and Monticello areas as this is the area I see myself living in for the foreseeable future. I'd like to find distressed properties first as my background revolves around construction, and I could do some of the work myself to help build capital, or the BRRRR method.

My long term goals are to own and operate residential buy and holds with goals to obtain commercial property down the road.

I am currently working with a realtor, but have not had much success in finding any properties through the realtor. I have began driving for dollars and sent about 10 letters of which I have received two responses. One person kindly stating that they are not interested in selling the duplex at this time, and another lady was angry that I contacted her regarding the vacant house, although she calmed down once she realized I lived a few doors down from the vacant property.

I currently hold a commercial only real estate salespersons license, but am starting to wonder if I should transfer my license to a residential broker so I can access the Northstar MLS to begin hunting for my own residential deals and further research the market.

Does anyone have any advice for finding the first few deals?

Am I on the right track or am I missing something?

Is it a bad idea to forgo the realtor for the first acquisition?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and I look forward to meeting more BP members!

-Aaron