You don't eat an elephant in one bite.Focus on whats in front of you.

Three of the rentals are in Southern California and have appreciated quite a bit and so I’m starting to look at what I could be doing with that equity.

Have had quite a few clients use their 1031 exchange funds for a single purchase or multiple purchases (like you're planning).We coordinated same-day closings for financing on the multiple-purchase scenario, but I'm not entirely sure if that is a necessity.

I did qualify I quit my job last month to focus more on real estate investing, and I want a GC license so I can contract my own builds.

This way, you’re not going all-in on a new roof before you need to, but you’re also avoiding costly water damage that could eat into the savings.In other words, patch it up, keep it durable, and wait to replace only when there’s no life left in it—Tonka style!

Real estate is not my primary job, and I travel quite a bit, so having the piece of mind that I don't have to worry about the 2am call is absolutely worth the fee. 

It’s ok if you choose to buy something that is not quite perfect, as long as you decide it’s what you want. 

Our project has been pushed out quite a bit, but as far as I can tell all for legitimate reasons with permitting delays and market shifts.

I would start backwards from your purchase price and financing to narrow it down, go with a landlord friendly state and try to leverage anyone you know (family member out of state, friend doing BRRRRs out of state, etc) - that should narrow done your market quite a bit.

I'm Derwin from New York, and I'm passionate about real estate investing for quite some time.