I recently consulted on a new build 8 units per entrance, so similar mix, and can hopefully offer some insight.

consulting  a civil right attorney is probably your best bet.

It is well worth the small investment it would take for a consultation to understand what your rights and path forward are.

Congratulations. 3) I have been thinking about being my own consultant, just had another job offer yesterday, but can't pay what I'm looking for.

You may need some other consultants, like geotech engineer (soils report), site lighting engineer, etc. 

I paid an attorney to consult.

With Austin being a hot market, you could lose out on a lot of appreciation.If you wanted to get some numbers to think through the different scenarios and tax implications, I would recommend consulting with an accountant/CPA!

You can usually just quit claim the property to an LLC - but you will want to consult your mortgage company and/or an attorney about this prior to doing it. 

Because I also own and buy actively, I also have the proven vendors that further save my clients money from insurance, landscaping, pest control, pool care, and handymen/hvac/plumbing/electrical.With that said, I’ll send you those properties today per our phone consultation @James Thompson and we’ll be sure you get your 1031 funds allocated smoothly and into great STRs 👍

If you continue to face issues, consulting with a property management company or legal advisor might also be beneficial.Best of luck with your rental properties!