It is simply a means to diversify your IRA, not a way that you can personally access the funds for your own purposes.Do some reading here on BP and you will identify a few providers of both service types that participate here regularly.  

I budgeted $100/year per unit.What to budget for general cleaning/prep/updates?

If it's an auction on the courthouse steps usually ( at least in my county) all liens and encumbrances are wiped clean.

I asked him how much he owed, discussed the cost of hiring a real estate agent, the items potential buyers would ask him to coordinate/fix (cosmetic; floor, paint, cleaning) and the time it would take to sell.

I would add another 5-7% into your expenses for capital expenditures in addition to regular repair costs to be safe.I'm not seeing an appraised value in your numbers.

I called the landlord on the 22nd I called and said that today the 26th I would be done cleaning it and would call them to do a walkthrough.

Depends on the risk of the deal, the holding time, and the operator's track record.Consider that investors regularly have access to projects from very experienced leads where the leads are all investing their own capital, and that common terms may be 7% pref, 75/25 profit split, and say 1% acquisition, 4% management, and 1% disposition.I probably wouldn't take a chance on a new operator.  

I hold regular networking events here in SD.

I have a 0.1 Acre property for sale in Old Town, Maine which needs lawn mowing every week or two until it sells and also a deep clean and coat of paint now that the tenant has vacated.  

Some of my best deals just needed cleaning and paint.