Realtors and starting out

[Matt L.]

Hello BP regulars! I am starting out in REI and would like a few opinions on Realtors for starting out. I am hoping to buy a few properties to begin with (buy/rent/hold), and I need to meet a minimum cashflow (more specifically, a cash on cash roi). So, for a newbie starting out, how do you feel about putting your realtor in the drivers seat with selecting the neighborhood/market and analyzing the deals? I have a concern that a potential realtor, which has no social/referral connection to me and my social circle, may make favorable assumptions regarding vacancy, capex, location, etc. (or any other assumptions that require experience) in order to meet the ROI numbers I require, and bag the commission. Or put into other words, to make the deal look better on paper that it actually is. Is this a valid concern? I am worried that if I do not get the first couple deals right it could seriously de-rail my long term plans. Any advice on how to mitigate these concerns/risks?