If you are the buyer, show them the money.If you are trying to act as an unlicensed intermediary, find someone who can perform and take a referral fee.Realtor has a commission on the line and this is not their first rodeo, I guess.

I might loop in my family as well and perform their deals but that is it - this would not be a full-time job or anything.

the real question is do I become a landlord using strict investment strategies (low price multi units that can cash flow on average at least $1000 a month) or invest in performing notes.

Don't feel as though I owe you any explanations but for the benefit of others who may read your rather brash and unwarranted reply it goes something like this.I started as a general contractor in 1986 doing rehabs and retrofitting on MH's and due to some of the trades I was performing on them was required to get a MH contractors license as well.

As a Broker for 20+ years, I would be inclined to work with a wholesaler in that regard for several reasons :-I wouldn't want to gain the reputation as a Broker whose Buyer(Wholesaler) does not perform-Typically when a buyer makes an offer on a MLS listing, the other Broker/Agent is going to ask for proof of funds and with the model I described above, many will provide fake internet proof of funds and again bring my integrity into question-Wholesalers using the model above are going to be marketing the property from the MLS while it is under contract which again could bring my integrity into questionFor example : While I am a Broker, I primarily flip houses and purchase many HUD homes per month. 

Much focus is on getting notes to re-perform, but this better suits my current business.I'm looking at a basic one in my home state, BPO of $29k, $11k purchase price on vacant 1st lien NPN.

What would be the best way to go with if my experience is only self-performing contractor?

In lieu of a note secured by trust deed or mortgage you can merely secured your agreement with a Performance Trust Deed signed by owner in order to secure the active partner. 

Most lenders do not call their loans as all they care about is a performing asset.

While you can always come up with deviations to the past-performance-analytics ("What if the company's CFO runs away with all the money", "EPA fines for chemical dumping" etc on par with "Sinkhole" or "Need a new roof" ).