Finding a home for a couple looking to settle down, and finding an income property are two very skill-sets, and while some Reatlors have both, many might not and could be showing you properties that are wasting both of your times.  

Honestly a quadplex was my first choice but loads of reading shows that a general census is that if you are new to real estate than consider a duplex first because its smaller and easier to manage.

We don't need another one of those threads but for my personal properties and wholesale properties we front load the expenses and make a nice house.With regard to above or below market cap rates are you referring to SF or MF? 

And the listing agent told me it better be good or your wasting our time.

I do not want to get involved in a long drawn out scenario that results in wasted time and money. 

The fees are all front loaded meaning you pay fees to the county and the engineers without a guarantee that you can complete the split.

and you put the agent in a bad spot.. because the seller will blame the agent for wasting time with a unqualified buyer.

@Robert TYou could ask them if they know of anyone that wants to sell (that way the call is not wasted).THEN modify your marketing.Wholesaling IS Marketing.I'm finding that to get good prospects to call I have to constantly twick my marketing.  

Are there landlords that desire to downsize their property loads that are willing to help newbies like ourselves?

Source of income is also protected class so be careful but my guess is a lot of students aren't going to be loaded at that point in life so you may set the bar high when screening for income levels and attract only top-earners to your rental.