This will help you understand your options and decide if it's the right time to hire a pro. 

For various reasons, the US government wants to understand the "beneficial ownership" of certain businesses.

I understand the crime concerns, but why do you think traditional financing is risky?

Podcasts and books are another fantastic way to get some knowledge in and help understanding the basics.

You're learning about the eviction process, tenant screening (never "word of mouth" again), the power of a lease WHEN not IF a neutral third party needs to be involved, tenant/landlord laws, and managing tenants who don't care about your business the way you do. 

If you have family get them involved...sell FB marketplace and eBay for a year and they can do that from home.   

It could provide more cash flow but your leverage would still be less due to the total value of that property compared to the 4plex3) Is there an easy way to understand what price range I should stick to in my area, and should I focus on the best market or focus on the best price for properties? 

You don't want to start playing sides here and getting involved in these kinds of debates.

As a result, I would spend more time trying to understand who they are partnering with than anything else.  

You have to walk these properties, understand where the hidden costs are outside of the spreadsheets, and understand the geographic appreciation trend and migration and population as well, none of which will be in the questions you are asking.