At least in the sheriff's sales, the auctioneer is not engaged in trying to hide things from the buyer. 

PM me if you would be interested in seeing the deals and potentially working alongside me on them.

But...If I wanted to engage in other REI deals with money straight from my savings account, would I have to form a separate business entity in order to take part?

Just choose your partners well and don't move too quickly until you are certain you have a perfect match.And I could see where a long-time management company relationship could one day grow to where the management company is making a financial investment in your acquisitions (alongside your other investors).  

Maybe investing alongside sponsors who provide value to their passive investors is a good way to gain experience & learn until you do your own deal. 

That could be a great way to find and stay engaged with local investors, realtors and opportunities. http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsLooks like you've already made some connections with other BP members in your area...You can also search for other investors or brokers in your market and follow their journey on Bigger Pockets here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersBest of luck to you and look forward to following your success on BP!

Your post was apropos because it’s easier to analyze the heck out of a deal than to take the actual steps to engage in the buying process.

engage in a nice conversation.

@Michael Stanley NinoDo yourself a favor and invest passively alongside an experienced investor who can put you in a much larger investment (100+ units).

Hopefully, this introduction will be one more 'push' for me to get started.2) I like to work with people.3) RE feels more 'real' and engaging than the stock market.4) I want the financial freedom.What do you think?