In the case of unlicensed contractor, the word 'handyman' is common in the scope of home improvement independent contractors, licensed or not.I'm not even in a trade or business yet still do issue a 1099-MISC to handymen, and even my tax-preparer just in case the IRS or some other beauracracy should deem me as being in a 'trade or business' already. 

I disagree; you can't be a jack-of-all-trades.

You could offer to trade the property for a packet of m&m’s and unless you meet one of the above criteria be in violation of the statue.

Here are some common financing options:Traditional Mortgage: Obtain financing from banks with a down payment, paying off over time with interest.Hard Money Loans: Short-term loans with higher interest rates, often from private investors, suitable for quick acquisitions or credit-challenged investors.Private Money Lenders: Individuals or groups offering direct loans, with terms negotiated privately.Seller Financing: Buyers make payments directly to sellers over an agreed period, with terms negotiated between parties.Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC): Borrow against existing property equity with a revolving credit line, typically offering flexibility.Real Estate Crowdfunding: Pool funds with other investors via online platforms for various real estate projects, offering diverse investment opportunities.1031 Exchange: Defer capital gains taxes by reinvesting sale proceeds into similar properties within a specific timeframe, useful for tax optimization.REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts): Invest indirectly in real estate through publicly traded companies, offering liquidity and diversification.Joint Ventures/Partnerships: Collaborate with other investors to share resources and risks, leveraging each other's strengths for larger projects.Subject To Financing: Buy a property subject to the existing mortgage that's in place on the property (doesn't get paid off when the property sells).Assumable Mortgage: Buy a property and assume the mortgage that the seller already has in place.Lease Option: Rent a property with the option to buy it prior to a later date.Debt Service Credit Ratio (DSCR): A loan approved based on the income potential of the propertyThese options cater to different investor needs, preferences, and financial situations, providing flexibility in real estate investment strategies.Thanks,

It's really no different than trading a stock. 

Educate yourself on the building trades.

My hope is that the clientele we bring in won't completely trash the place but I realize that is just wishful thinking and that people, regardless of income/ what they are willing to pay, can behave like animals (I was in the auto industry before becoming an attorney and the things I saw walking trades will forever haunt me). 

If you sell two properties at, say, $700K and $300K respectively, then you can either combine those into a single exchange and buy at least $1M of replacement properties OR you can split them and have one exchange trade for at least $700K and another for at least $300K

I say this as no disrespect to the people in the trades - their jobs can be tough... only as a note to the risks of doing such work. 

I have $30k of stock options losses this year (multiple bad trades in a row lmao after making 35k last year off options and sadly paying a lot of tax that cant be carried forward to this years losses).