I think there are definitely agents out there that work with investors because they understand that though there is extra work, aka more offers and more showings, the investor will most likely lead to more commissions than a regular buyer who only buys once every 5-10 years.

Performing notes are great for cash flow where you can diversify and earn high single to low double digit returns.Non performing notes are another animal.

The sellers agent was pissed , she didnt want to see a price drop of $75K . ( less money in her pocket )  So when it came time for the apprasal , she missed being there and the appraser had to reschedule , there was an extra charge and I made her pay for it

So as I make extra payments on the principal I pay off  the mortgage faster and increase the amount of cash that I could get if I needed it quickly. 

The reason that you don't see much discussion is that most investors do everything or nothing, because if you start putting in paint and flooring it is hard not to justify a couple thousand extra for granite etc. which will boost the rent the most. 

And considering everything else he does for me, it is worth it for me to pay him the extra bonus.

You will get a lot more urgency from the listing agents since they will have the potential to earn both the buyer and seller potion of the commission.

I can't wait to discover how I can provide value to the community so I can earn the right to all the vast knowledge on this site.

There are a lot of ways to construct deals but maybe, for now, you should save up the extra cash and attend meetups for networking purposes.

If you are dual career and not in real estate full time you should work with a talented agent and focus on your research, running your numbers, and earning to build your portfolio.