My question is, can I be an independent realtor and have access to the MLS and write my own offers, without being employed at a brokerage?

Unless you are independently wealthy, don't underestimate the power of having a steady and sizable W2. 

To say that this is compared to the flu at all, we have to compare counted deaths to counted deaths, not counted deaths to statistical estimates.

And most importantly, what is your annual income before taxes, not including 1099/independent contractor income that isn’t taxed and likely won’t be considered in factoring your DTI towards a mortgage.

This allows for a neutral 3rd party to independently determine what the scope of the project will be and the associated price.

I still look back at a tough high school curriculum (3000 places avail at our University & 5000 applying) & 5 years of university as those years that imbued the focus, discipline & drive that helped me strive for financial independence.

The Quicken prospectus for their IPO hit a few days ago. 36% of their business was from independent brokers, but only 13% of their revenue.

The house is outside of Kansas City, Missouri in Independence, MO, if that helps.

I have no W2 employees, and all the 1099 income I paid was to independent contractors who did work on my properties, but they do not have an employee employer relationship with me. 

There is a reason some 75% or more (I forget the exact statistic) of real estate agents stop within the first year (and I think another 50% drop out in the second year).