Call me, and I can give you a better explanation...it is a little more involved than the piecemeal explanation you will get posting on a board like this.  

Welcome to BP @Dylan WrightMake sure you set some alerts for things going on in your area to help you get involved with others you could network with.

Involving yourself in blogs, forums, podcast, and webinars will avail you opportunities to engage with members while ingesting informative information.Consider sending 30 minutes for 30 consecutive days.

Or does one usually get involved with private sellers?

I have been involved in RE for 4 years, have a handful of SFHs that I rent out.  

Get involved start a blog etc.

For now I have a tech support job with a Connecticut manufacturer that involves being in a cubicle a lot.

It's pretty involved.  

Do I have to involve the bank in collecting bids and selecting subcontractors for scopes of work?

The flip typically involves a fraudulent appraisal, which may indicate that renovations were made to the home, when, in fact, there were none, or the renovations consisted only of minor cosmetic improvements."