Hey BiggerPockets,I'm interested in starting my real estate investing with small apartment buildings (around 5-12 units) in the Pittsburgh area but am having a tough time finding real estate agents who excel with these property types.Any suggestions on generating leads and finding agents who specialize in this apartment building size?

@Joshua Paul the answer to your question is that yes, this is an excellent idea!

I’ve wondered if building up business credit and a relationship with a banker, before I need a commercial loan, would be helpful.

For flips, I excel in valuing the as-is and as-repaired values and produce forward looking valuations based on market trends.

Over time you can build relationships and be top of their mind when the time comes.

I'm kicking myself in the face for not building a stronger relationship with them.

I heard MIT has an excellent Commercial RE program

Everything starts with a relationship.

Specifically, my own investments.Would it be better to just develop a solid relationship with someone who is already a contractor, and just hire out the rehab work from now on?

I would recommend you go to a local REIA meeting (or as many as you can) to network and build your relationships.