Hi Peter, welcome to the forum.
Firstly I wouldn't recommend a starter set, a lot of my clients that have started into the hobby have regretted buying them as they only really used a small portion of the set and the loco or rolling stock may not be suitable.
Also the track being code 80 is really big and bulky and is nowhere near to scale, code 55 streamline fine scale track looks far better and is more true to scale.
I find set track has a train set look about it.
I have code 55 in stock and I can bring it to a show so you can have a look at it.
If you want to go DCC then take the plunge from day 1, no point in getting a DC controller then changing.
With regard to points electrofrog are a better way to go, in the starter set you will just get insulfrog and small 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 locos can stall.
I'm in Bray this Sunday at the train and model fair if you want to stop by and have a look at the code 55 track.