When you look at a property, do not fall in love with it....maybe fall in love with the numbers, but don't look at it the same way your retail buyers might look at it. 

It's quite likely that where you are looking is not a good place to execute the strategy.Also, in real estate you make money WHEN YOU BUY, so if you buy a retail house that doesn't need any work you aren't putting yourself in a position to add much value.

Materials will come from a big box retailer.  

I have seen retail centers for instance where if it is turned sideways or building is situated behind another retail center then harder to rent and rents drop to fill it with lease up.How good is the cross traffic from other sites to this tenant box space?

Getting a retail listing is much easier than wholesaling.

It takes them a while to catch on.So retail appears to be slowing and I've actually seen a couple of more investor appropriate deals in the ballpark of reasonable (and by that I mean priced at 2x my number rather than 3x) on the MLS lately.

@Ned Carey, usually you will need to file a quiet title lawsuit before you can sell a tax deed property for anything close to full retail price, with the buyer able to secure financing and title insurance. 

My houses all were renovated, maybe buyers question it when a house has had no renovations done and the flipper wants to sell at retail when they bought well under?

Retail? 

I've discovered that:They only work with industrial and/or retail (and seem curious/surprised why I'm investigating apartments)They are the listing agents for properties in the area (it is a sellers market where I live).Being a first time investor, I'd like to have a trusted professional in my corner; using a listing agent (at least to me) represents a conflict of interest.Should I be cold calling firms outside of my immediate locale, such as major cities nearby (or national)?