Your target is likely to prefer to work with licensed professionals who specialize in their community. 

They just require you to be more creative as most wholesalers prefer cash buyers and the properties usually require a lot of rehab. 

I still consider myself a beginner investor so I personally prefer to invest in the suburbs. 

Specialized skill in solving unique problems will set you apart from the run of the mill investment strategies and formulas.This a people business and a problem solving business, not a "real estate supermarket" where you merely pluck properties of the shelf looking for the lowest prices, highest yields, and comparison shop like going to Walmart or Costco.My personal preference after 20+ years of investing is that I would much rather drive a 2-3 hr radius digging deep for opportunity than hopping on a plane for 3 hrs one way, spending a week in a hotel and buying off the shelf.  

He also has a preference for doing flips.  

I prefer to be my own agent to get things done quickly and grab hot deals.

Recently my preference has shifted toward small multi-unit residential and commercial properties with a residential component.

I also prefer to professionally clean the place before a new tenant.  

Someone who does this daily is preferred.

I suspected, (but cannot know), that "my" Realtor bought the property for himself as an investment, or alerted one of his preferred clients to the deal.Many thanks.