I am an investor and agent just north of you in Abilene, Texas.

I recommend working with a tax strategist that specializes in real estate taxation and LLC formation to maximize your tax deductions. 

Currently, when I see something and contact the listing agents myself I get the s******* responses from the listing agents. 

Our company won't accept, "addition interest" for this reason.Also, this is being misrepresented by the agent, since insurance companies ALL add lenders as, "additionally insured" as required per mortgage docs.

I'll also ask my Enrolled Agent what his take is. 

I am a real estate agent that has access to the MLS, but I've seen through my research that the best deals are the ones off-market.

The advice I give my clients is to follow these first steps: 1) Meet with an investor friendly agent.

You can do something simple like transform a garage or unfinished basement into a "wellness center" for about $10K and then make business connections with local yogis, wellness practitioners, hold meditation retreats and specialized events.

If you do become a part time agent I'd join a team that way if you need help with showings they can.

You'll be fine unless you want a job in real estate (like being an agent) that requires heavy outreach, cold calls, or interaction with others.