Other designations to look for are ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative) CNE, (Certified Negotiation Expert), GRI (Graduate, REALTORS Institute).   

You can start with as little as $10K (I believe), but I think you must be accredited to invest (if I remember correctly).

So it feels like I'm digging for information on Qualified Opportunity Funds that are still kinda in formation.Another obstacle: the few I've found all require their investors to be accredited.

Would it be considered acceptable or ridiculous to ask an accredited and very active RE investor who is interested in a deal you are looking at (whom you hope to develop a positive relationship with and or/ partner or invest with you) to sign a non-circumvention agreement, prior to them seeing the deal AND prior to having the deal in question under contract? 

Accredited investors with at least $100,000 to invest.

I'm an accredited investor and I'm not even buying real estate right now, despite being able to pay my properties off in full or buy  new properties with cash, etc.

And then, since I'm the contractor, bookkeeper, tax lady, and homeschool mom, I'm thinking it sounds simpler and worth the extra costs to simply let the guy stay there as a buddy, and pay him through an employee leasing service, do no rental income (or bookkeeping, or Schedule C), and just run it as a regular flip.  

As Rodney aludes, there are rules to this kind of thing, especially if you raise money from non-accredited investors.Another option is for them to come in as your lender and just pay them a set percentage on the loan.

I am also saving to buy his Cardone U, real estate course, & invest in his fund for non accredited investors 

You can even diversify across asset classes - think MF, self-storage, mobile home parks, office space, etc - AND geographic location.One limiting factor though is whether you are accredited or not.