There are lots of beekeepers that catch swarms. I have a couple of buddies that are licensed carpenters, so I may expand more into extraction where people pay. The most I caught in a single year was 11 swarms IIRC. Last year I caught 6, but used them all myself. Hopefully I get a lot of calls this year. By far, catching swarms is my favorite part of the hobby and I bought my extractor this year, so I can use some extra cash for my biz.

Before I sell a nuc, I wait until there are enough resources built by the swarm and I also make sure the queen is a strong layer. If not, I replace her and get her going before I sell. Is there a local bee club where you live? Many times local hobbyists will sell bees. You can also check craig's list (where I sell them in my local area). As you know, it is an expensive hobby for sure...

I would try to buy a nuc versus a package. There are some pretty cool traps for wasps, but fortunately that isn't one of my problems yet...