I am not spending $40k on their next step, but this looked like a good investment ($1500 and a money back offer).

We agreed to offer a first month's rent free to help stir some business. 

I still  have to do some more research into the individuals behind both concepts but what option do you believe offers more value?

Every system you try will have flaws, or you may salivate over a feature that appears in other software.Some familiar names are mentioned frequently: Stessa, Apartments.com, RentRedi, TenantCloud, Innago, RentManager, Avail, Rentec Direct, Doorloop, etc.I recommend conducting thorough research on each app online to understand their offerings, pricing, etc.

Many lenders offer financing up to 90% of the purchase price and 100% of the rehab costs.

Sometimes they don’t like that because you don’t have skin in the game.As for advantages to the seller - are you going to pay them more for the property, that would be a perk that I offer in addition to making a little extra on interest for the duration of the loan.

FF will not send possible housing requests unless they are an exact match for what you offer or if the resident chooses to send a direct message. 

I'm looking to start off in areas with lower costs coming in, preferably under $100k single families but definitely under $200k.These markets are particularly appealing for novice investors, especially those from California, as they offer more affordable options compared to local alternatives.

I would put in lowball offers (75 to 80% of list) on every house you're interested in and see if somebody bites.

Rental properties offer affordable housing, making them a solid investment.