You need to understand how to drive the Net Operating Income to produce a good solid return. 

One idea is to proceed with the 1031x, save on the capital gains, parlay your proceeds into income-producing properties, and capitalize on the low-interest rate offered by these operators.   

If the search produces a sea of natural earth tone pics, the one that stands out has a splash of color.

I'll do that when I meet my investments are producing my final goal of $X.

Like others have mentioned, there’s appreciation, depreciation, leverage, and tax benefits that produce a compelling risk adjusted return. 

“Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon, in the sense that it is and can be produced only by a more rapid increase in the quantity of money than in output.” - Milton FriedmanAgreed Russel. 

I would rather invest in safe markets that produce a good return, then I can use that income to pay for a vacation anywhere in the world.I'm very pessimistic about the STR market in Hawaii.

With an extra vacancy or a maintenance issue or an extra turnover, this is definitely a negative cash flow producing investment.So when you say the rent growth and value growth have exceeded your expectations, I would love to have you respond as to how that is possibly the case. 

There is a case for buying well-located solid assets that produce immediate current cash flow at reasonable leverage. 

,We discovered over the course of this discussion that more smaller extra payments produces less benefit than fewer, larger "chunks".