Since prices are down lots of cow/calf guys in my area are finishing and selling direct. Very few of them are having any trouble selling. yeah, you gotta deal with individuals instead of an auction barn. But selling decent beef at ~$4/lb cut and wrapped isn't hard to sell. And that gets them a little premium over selling at the auction.
On top of that, from what I can tell there's a glut of held over yearling 8-900 wts getting ready to hit the market. Guys that didn't want to sell their weaned calves in the fall are about out of options on the steers. If that's true, selling direct might look pretty good in a couple weeks/month, and you might be able to pick some feeders up cheap.
I'm trying to do it, but By the time I buy them at market price and finish them, I gotta get a real premium to make any money. My customers don't mind paying $8/lb cut, wrapped and delivered, but that puts a half at about $2k. That's hard for anybody to buy even if they don't mind the price/lb.
Point is, there's plenty of direct customers if you're just looking to get a little premium over selling holdovers at the sale barn. But if you want to do it buying 800wts it's hard to get it to pencil if you can't charge a premium, and find well heeled buyers.
I believe the best way to come out is with Holsteins or dexters, simply because a half or quarter is more affordable for the consumer, IF you can get it to taste good. The Holsteins you can sell at the barn and the dexters you can sell direct on Craigslist to hobby farmers, if you can't find beef buyers. Holsteins probably being the best choice of the two, if you can get them to marble like some folks say.
Im in your same boat. Ive got a busy life, busy job, kids, hobbies and getting ready to build a house. I don't have time to pull calves and Play doctor. But I've got grass and a little capital I can't make much return on. I'm getting ready to try a couple Holsteins just to see how good I can get them to taste and what it costs to get there. My family and friends need to eat and I've got 30 acres of grass and good water so I'm not gonna be out anything but my time to try.