It is completely doable and a great option because you get longer tenancies with the retail.

I know probably several hundred co-brokes and I have worked with many as an investor before I got licensed and started a team.A combination of several reasons: Real estate agents are in an industry that is easy entry and it rewards networking much more than actual skills (let that one sink in), because consumers don't know how to vet agents and it becomes mostly about trust - so you work with your friend's cousin, because he said she's great.

Online platforms, industry conferences, and networking events are excellent sources for discovering new sponsors.

@Sachin Amin  it depends, in some zoning it is cumlitive such that in commercial you can do residential, and industrial you can do anything. 

Should I look for an internship to learn more about the flipping or investing industry, or would it be beneficial to use my license and work as a buyer/seller agent under a family friend's brokerage?

(We pull data from AirDna, STR Insights, tourism data, Airbnb & VRBO, and travel industry reporting)As we prepare for this launch, I would love to get your feedback:- What additional information would make this report more useful for you?

I mean you could make offers and if you are in the market and they aren't you can always file complaints, (only legit ones) with the city, to keep it on their radar and make it a squeeky wheel for the current owner, but yeah i'm not really a fan of bailing out people in any industry who make mistakes, so by all means by the properties but not your or anyone else's problem that they made the errors they did.  

I'm in the retail sector, primarily value-add product with a great location but poorer performance than the market average.

Cashflow is minimal at first, usually enough to pay for the occasional repair and you are paying close to retail price. 

I've syndicated multifamily offerings myself, and I have deep seated opinions in underwriting and asset management.There's one thing I seems to be consistent across the industry that I vehemently disagree with, and that's the expense escalator(YOY increases) for insurance.I STILL see people underwriting for 3% YOY insurance increases.