Of course it is very important to do proper due diligence on the investment and the operator.As far as self-directed IRA there are number of companies offering such service, this topic has been discussed here on the forum many times so you should search using this keyword and learn from those discussions.

It provides valuable market data that offers insights, unlike the free version that offers none.

It doesn't take an experienced real estate investor to see through what he offers and teaches.  

Of course there was offers to register for more courses and mentoring  and various up sells, but you will find that at any seminar. 

I plan to offer owner financing to others that can't get a loan.

Tempe and Scottsdale can be competitive, but Mesa and certain areas of Phoenix might offer better cash flow opportunities.

These are great programs to use and NY offers a few as well as a couple of Nationwide DPA's and grants.

The offering would be at 490 units at $1000 unit

BiggerPockets also has a calculator to analyze deals, and I highly recommend you start this as soon as possible, even if you are not ready to buy.

WordPress, especially when paired with plugins like WP Rentals or a property management system, offers more flexibility for custom features like dynamic calendars, booking systems, and integrations with platforms like Airbnb.If you're planning to grow beyond a few properties, WordPress can handle that expansion better since you can continuously customize it as your business needs change.