I need to learn how to find and cultivate residential and commercial deals in a seemingly saturated real estate market.

If it has done this once, it will continue to do it every time the ground becomes saturated.

They were all very hot markets over the last few years but they are fairly saturated now and with minimum cash flow.

So yes, if you can afford to put down $200,000 and see NO return from it for 25 years, but THEN you get a fat check for $1,500,000 (in 2040 dollars) when you sell (it should have been for $3,000,000, except for the great crash of  2025), then yes, many people use this approach.

Without an Exclusive Buyer's Agent Agreement, I'd say that realtor is out like the fat kid in 5th grade dodge ball!

The housing market, based on some other investors/professors, is not saturated yet.

Numbers are numbers, last time I checked they don't smack you or call you fat so I don't understand how they come with emotions. 

My local market feels saturated with guys doing the exact same thing as me.

Since it sounds like there's plenty of fat on this deal, I would say do what she asks and do it right.

.-  Subfloors are saturated with moisture at some parts, leading to wood rot, fungus/mold, and obvious safety issues.-  The floor unit above the basement's problem site has a concerning issue with floor sloping/alignment.