Since then I have dreamed of flipping houses, now I am ready to take  action by investing my time as a designer to help a flipper, renovate buildings for profit. 

The title company should generate a file or deal number that you would reference when paying your earnest money.

I recently sold it and made a modest profit.

What I don't understand about your logic is why someone is unethical if they wholesale a property for a large profit but if they buy it and then sell it, they become ethical?

Most of the syndications I have reviewed recently involve upgrading C class buildings so they can raise rents and therefore values to generate good returns.

it would need to be about 60/sq ft to make a good profit.

But if I make money from real estate, this hobby will be fine if it's not profitable. 

We mail Yellow Letters to high equity and long ownership so it is obvious it's an older generation, but in Houston we don't see the same pattern or get that many people to say those things like in SA.

If we're talking about profit, that's like 1k per year not including equity and that's not worth it to me even as a landlord with no responsibilities.

That's a pretty decent profit.