If I have a LLC I believe I won’t be able to get traditional financing.

This would be a great marketing tool to make this investing option more appealing than traditional investing.

I would suggest starting with a more traditional first investment and work your way up to Sheriff's sales. 

Which platforms do the experienced rental property investors use for searching properties, doing analytics, and finding deals.

Any insights to starting out: plans to have in place, what to expect, not to expect, education platforms, essentially anything you may “wish” you knew before getting started, would be appreciated!

A few people with more income than sense will buy but that won't be enough.The bottom line, in our crazy system, logic... and even traditional market forces got nothing to do with it.

They were thoughtful enough to get me 2 huge bags of diapers as a closing gift since my wife and I are expecting our first child in the next week or so.There is something special about the relationships that are formed on this platform.

Not with traditional lenders and non owner occupied properties. 

For example, I purchased shares of property groups in Budapest on the property crowdfunding platform RealtyBundles.

Thinking about this more, I think your 4% "private money guy" is probably just a mortgage broker for a traditional bank or credit union loan.