They want retail agents who are going to bring in larger commissions checks   Not really worth their time working with agents who want to be investors. 

I'd prefer to see you pay retail (as long as it cash flows), get the unit rent ready and use your brokers license to find your own tenants so, at least that way, you have more control over the investment.

@David White first off, sounds like you might not have experience related to the RE industry - that's OK.

The main reason why I want to be a re investor is because I want financial freedom and my job in the construction industry is not stable.

They should have contacts in the lending, legal, and construction industries.

Being a contractor definitely comes in handy in this industry so consider yourself a commodity.

For the sake of our industry, it's not enough to just provide rental housing value - providing a fair and quality experience to applicants and residents is equally important.I use Craigslist and Postlets (which is syndicated to Zillow, Trulia and others), as well as our company website to list vacancies. 95% of current traffic is coming from Craigslist and Zillow.

How do you find good places to invest for passive income i.e. retail, commercial, industrial, mixed use, multi family, etc.

I am just getting my feet wet in this industry.  

I highly recommend BP's Ultimate Beginner's Guide, it helps to form a general foundation in the industry.