But the broker said it wont' work, cause it is not enough to motivate the outside broker to bring clients over and the broker said my partner's request is unreasonable below the market value.

@Baahir Starkey the easy days of low rates allowing a beginning investor to pick a property on the MLS and have it cashflow are over for now.Now, investors have to do lot of research and pursue motivated sellers, willing to take less than their property is worth. 

I seriously feel like I leave these retreats with solutions, feeling un-stuck, feeling inspired, feeling validated, motivated, reassured, confident...

I would like to expand into real estate to further that objective but my primary motivation is that I'm bored with my W2 job and need a bigger challenge.

I found motivated sellers from the notices of default in the local paper, wrote them letters and bought houses with seller financing. 

Direct to seller/motivated seller deals are usually not through an agent.

@Brooke Roundy as much as we'd like to assist another investor to succeed in our Detroit market, you're probably better off staying in the Cleveland market until you expand enough or decide to leave the Cleveland market.Also, be careful of posters here offering to assist you - many of them aren't transparent that their real motives are to sell you something!

In my mind until they are lost they are all pre foreclosure.. when I chased these in earnest before the very strict  laws were put into place to make this activity very dicy we bought all of ours within 24 hours to 5 days of the actual sale at the steps. that's were you got the good deals.. if your mailing or contacting them with just the notice of default your going to not do very well at all.. they are not properly motivated at that point and you will waste a ton of time and money chasing those deals Along with most of these will have very little equity if any..

You are already motivated, pumped up and you definitely don't need any motivational advice.'

You'll learn quickly, save yourself money and be the most motivated to get the right medium-term rental tenants and the keep it occupied.