You might try driving around your area and see if you can find any ongoing projects similar in nature as to what you have in mind and attempt to have talks with the contractors on site or even the owners if they are available. 

They can literally see us walk in/out of the bathroom unless we have the curtains drawn, but then there's no natural light in the living room.We would like to build an 8-ft tall cinder block wall (similar to our one with the other neighbor) between us and the apartments.

I bought a distressed property, so naturally protested the value as soon as the house was mine. 

If you are going to have skin in the game then I would definitely say buy it , fix it, and retail it yourself.

We originally wanted to only use her RE lic. for our flip properties but...she is a natural and already has 3 sales in her first month.

It's a steam boiler fired by natural gas.

I think it's just the natural thing that happens in an investors brain at a certain point of their house hunting.  

Consider a JV.If the deal is that good, put some skin in the game with a partner and build a relationship.Otherwise, disclose your intent as the sellers clearly will have issues when you want to assign the contract. 

Best thing you have is skin in the game ...plus knowledge so it should be a breeze to connect with other members.Hope that helps 

With the right person everything else flows naturally.