Let's chat at your convenience - I'm also one of the 700 agents out of the same KW office, have fone 75+ buy-sell deals myself and closed 55+ transactions as an agent, 80% on the listing side.

If you buy close to downtown where it's very active, STR's could work great.

Closed - Long term hold - 25 unit complex just outside of Seattle.

I mainly plan to flip and hold rentals, but I ll also be wholesaling whatever deals don't work for me or I can't close on.

It's somewhat close to Salvador but I think you could get better deals. 

Now, they have to put up more money at closing to pay for their realtor?

What is left is the maximum price you should pay for the property minus a reasonable profit and closing costs on both ends of the project.

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Classic path of progress stuff in a close-ish market.The other option ( which could be very unpopular) is to sell both and preserve the down payment funds. 

What other closing costs are there usually with hard money loans?