re: Sliding Miter Saw. 7 1/4”. Should I even bother?

A double-bevel 12" miter saw is great for trim carpentry, can handle common dimensional lumber cutting needs. For the average DIYer a sliding 7-1/4" or 10" saw will be more useful as either has more cross-cut capacity than a 12" saw. Your not nesting large cove mould and you probably don't have the demands for precision trim work. 12" sliding saws take up a lot of room, heavy to move around, never have the accuracy of a non-sliding saw. I have a DeWalt single bevel 10", double-bevel 12" saw, and if I have to cross-cut a 2x12 I'm using a skillsaw anyway.