This industry, like any other, produce winners and losers.  

OROption 2: Go big and do a cash-out refi/203K/HELOC to not only repair the foundation and waterproofing, but to add an extension to the home that would support a legal duplex for some income producing property.

My job is to make repairs and get the place lease optioned so it is producing income to cover the interest payments I need to make to the lender.

So, for a tenant to claim they have a lease in place they would need to produce a written document. 

Generally, many 2-4 unit properties are not purchased for their income producing abilities alone, as much as larger multi-unit properties are.

I can imagine a complicated mechanism that would produce an arguably valid 1031 strategy...but it almost certainly would create more problems than it solves.  

There's not much at that price range that would produce cash flow or change your position much.

Plus you never know when you might need to produce your financial portfolio to someone for a loan or for someone to even purchase.

I want 2.5%” The truth is that the rule changes are not going to produce the “desired effect” of limiting commissions or making home buying more affordable.

Others it is not and they don't just take anyone these brokerages would be looking for experience and top producers. these tend to be commercial in nature or luxury.