To answer your questions here though:Alternative options - I was going to sell all my stocks and etfs, take out a HELOC, and some credit cards to try to shoestring together enough to the deal without a hard money loan. 

I've tried stock market and never really made that much.

No tax so far I think.2) If I convert that partnership interest into shares in a PUBLICLY traded UPREIT I trigger tax on the deemed sale/exchange of the partnership interest into stock of the REIT?

I currently have a majority of my savings invested in the stock market but am looking to diversify into real estate and other ventures to achieve my financial goals.

As you can see by the attached photo I am tracking current cash flow as well as what my cash flow would be if my properties were fully paid off. 

I am now at a point in life where I realized retirement isn’t far off and I need to find something outside of stock markets and 401k’s to invest in.

the midwest has lower price points than other areas of the US, sure, but it also comes with its own challenges - for example, very old housing stock, lots of deferred maintenance, and tremendous demand for the best properties."

Together, we have over $200K (mostly in stock market investments), and our parents may help with the down payment.

His family made their money with W2s and the stock market.

This is the same process a national retail store chains use to determine store locations and what to stock.