I have been learning how the process works and there are a lot of resources for how to interview a sponsor and review the deal, but how do you initially access the deals to review?

While it's true I don't necessarily trust the pricing software algo, I really like the ease of accessing the data.

My agent was a very nice older lady, but no idea about investing, it all worked out and once the first rent checks started coming in started gaining some confidence.

Once you start to get people in there to look at project to project, that will give you a baseline then you'll start to gain more knowledge on where you need to be on the pricing/estimates etc.

Does this completely prevent the tax lien holder of getting additional gains after foreclosing? 

Some "captive" agents like Farmers, Nationwide, maybe others also have some market access other than their namesake, but unless things are different there State Farm has State Farm only so when they're done, they're done. 

I signed up for something on Ron LeGrand's web-site (the free access portion).

These straightforward requirements make the process accessible and convenient for buyers.The initial setup costs typically range between $500 and $1,200 USD, while annual maintenance fees are generally between $500 and $700 USD.

Plus side is less urban sprawl, fewer builds in indefensible areas (wooded hillsides, only-one-road access, etc.), and greater affordability. 

That number seems high but the neighborhood was “hot” and houses sold really quickly.What I cared about most was completing my second deal to gain experience.