I'm currently involved in programs like freedom mentor by Phil Pustejovsky and some rich dad poor dad content.

This was common many years ago, but if you ultimately want to go with a traditional underwriter (freddie, fannie, etc) then you can get into trouble if the seller (landlord) has been giving you money (rent) toward your downpayment.

At 12 units, that a lot per unit.Buildium is $40/ month for upto 40 units but it's not feature rich.

Besides if now days there are so many deals everywhere with this boom of people offering classes and seminars that brainwash you and promise to make you rich overnight investing in RE; why not just go get the houses where they know they can find them and buy them, instead of posting signs to buy houses???

My credit is fair so not thinking I can get a traditional loan. 

I like the concept @Christian Hutchinson  especially if you can use them in rougher areas were tenants are traditionally hard on properties.. these could literally be bullet proof .

Is there anyway to execute traditional financing ahead of the auction, or is a short sale or all cash my only option?  

I am a single father and I know that working a traditional 40/40 I will never be able to provide my daughter the life I dream of for us both.  

But to me, they are better than a traditional loan because with a loan, you get the money, then pay it back... and then it is done and you have to repeat it all over again.With an equity line, it is like a credit card so to speak.

You can have a custodian for a self-directed IRA (SDIRA) roll your traditional IRA right over and you will avoid any tax implications.