Article 25 defines a real estate broker as an individual or an entity, who with intent to collect or receive a fee, compensation, or valuable consideration, sells or offers for sale, buys or offers to buy, provides or offers to provide market analyses, lists or offers or attempts to list, or negotiates the purchase or sale or exchange or mortgage of real estate, or negotiates for the construction of a building on real estate; who leases or offers or rents or offers for rent real estate or the improvements on the real estate for others, as a whole or partial vocation; who engages in property management as a whole or partial vocation; who sells or offers for sale, buys or offers to buy, leases or offers to lease, or negotiates the purchase or sale or exchange of a business, business opportunity, or the goodwill of an existing business for others; or who, as owner or otherwise, engages in the sale of real estate as a principal vocation."

You have a contract with your buyer where you "assign" your original contract to them in exchange for a fee.

I understand that you are looking at off-market deals, but a lot of newer agent will be okay running comps for you in exchange for future business.

If I were you, I would find a guy who's doing a couple flips per year (some one who might not already have $500k lined up from lenders), and lend them your money at a really low interest rate in exchange for some mentorship.  

Send a dm if you'd like to exchange phone numbers and talk about possible investment opportunities or just share advice.

Offer your time in exchange for advice.

Persevere in finding a way to add value to another investor in exchange for training.  

I went with SFH because...I can sell one of my thirteen properties to exchange in to something else because of appreciation, HOA or neighborhood problems, or an amazing opportunity.

Your transaction would be suspicious to the point where my compliance group might make me file a S.A.R (Suspicious Activity Report).I have to fill out an O.F.A.C. report (Office of Foreign Asset Control) on EVERY bank reo sale.

Did you consider doing a 1031 Exchange?