I’ve doing some research around my area for potential properties with needs for cosmetic/moderate improvements that I could flip, and I believe I’ve found one.

I am also a Marine Corps veteran (as you can probably tell from my profile picture).

Their life will not improve.

Definitely use that to your advantage, and to constantly improve your business.

How Do I Get Pre-Approved For Loans With Just Great/Good Knowledge, Some Home Improvement Skills, A Fix and Flip Team Ready To Deploy, Great Planning and Lucrative Profitable Deal Appraisal Skills? 

That's why we'll continue to support and improve both at BiggerPockets - because for different people and situations, the mobile app is preferable, whereas for others, the mobile web site might fit into their workflow better.

You may want to decide between the more steady buy and hold or the faster pace flip to help pick a property and strategy...perhaps a full flip book like those on BP if that is the course and I have some low cost or free (at library) books on landlording if that is the next stop,in journey (see the blog post "classics of lanldord lit" on my profile)...BP has calculators for both strategies....

Improved education and a taste of success seem to be the keys to spark interest in many of the stories I've heard.

Neighborhood median home values will never increase if no one improves them, no one takes on the risk to improve them because they don't anticipate the ability to get a high appraisal to sell, refinance etc.

I have a group that meets monthly(my profile has details), there is another group that meets monthly, there are 2 real good BIG groups that charge $140+ per year but are great for networking.Start meeting people, learning, business cards and let everyone know that you are looking for properties to purchase.