I’ve decided that doing a 1031 into a more traditional property is the best move, here.

Been pretty happy with my decision so far and even moved here after my initial 4 buys. 

Since you already have experience with both short-term and long-term rentals, house hacking a duplex could be a smart next move.

Move the money in and out as tenants move in and out.You need two accounts: checking and savings.

Educate yourself with books, podcasts, and market research, define your goals, and build a team of professionals to support your journey.

They seem to be looking for a place urgently, possibly after a recent move. 

To end the call they will tell you "you seem like a great candidate and i want to move you to the next step" so again, more positioning. 

I get that having a paid off property is very comforting, but to me it's not the best move if you're trying to grow. 20% down and 3% annual appreciation means you're making a 15% return on your downpayment. 

Good luck trying to replicate that across multiple markets.If a market is working for you and aligns with your goals, why change it up?

@Sam Ojo Sounds like you've made a lot of positive moves that have resulted in you having options at this point.