I feel you on the analysis paralysis I started out by getting my Real Estate license so I could learn as much as I could about the Real estate process. To answer your quesetions:
1. Define your strategy are you going to need to wholesale to get funds or do you have the funds to go all in? And does your strategy going to be fix & flip? buy & hold? str's or mtr's? wholesale? BRRRR? get hyperfocused on one strategy and run with that.
2. I have found some on here but I mean honestly just networking on proper social networks and going to your local investor's meetings. I have found a few lenders that way. Linkedin, google, facebook they are everywhere really.
3. Again this depends on the strategy, you can really go either way with this but typically once you present a lender with a deal and it makes sense people have no problem funding I promise that.
4. No, no different type of funding from my knowledge, but I would talk to a RE attorney about this cause foreclosures you have to deal with the courts so they would probably be a good resource.
5. Tax deeds are the way to go period! get yourself a property through auction!