Would it be a good idea to get a real estate license and work in real estate or are there other options to get in Missouri to get real estate experience without a license? 

Here are a couple of ways you could structure the deal:Lease Option with Seller Financing: You could lease the property with an option to buy later, allowing you to rehab it while giving the sellers time to find a 1031 replacement property.Seller Financing with Deferred Payment: Structure the seller financing with no immediate payments, allowing you to refinance once the property is appraised, and the sellers can complete the 1031 exchange when ready.Escrow Holdback: Transfer the deed into an escrow account, giving you control without immediate transfer, so the sellers can take their time with the 1031.Third-Party Facilitation: Use a qualified intermediary to hold funds and facilitate the 1031 exchange while you refinance.These options allow flexibility for both you and the sellers.

Might it be smarter to offer a slightly lower monthly rent in exchange for a tenant who feels more content.

Here’s what made a difference for us:🔹 Mortgage Relief – Many lenders offer disaster relief options like payment pauses or loan modifications.

@James Tobin  yes FHA will be a very low downpayment option for you.

There are many options for skip tracing, most just send a query to a single database while others hand-scrub the lists for the results.

In addition to conventional loans and FHA loans, if either you or your wife are veterans, the VA also has a rehab program.I'd be happy to discuss my rehab experience both as an investor and as a mortgage broker, and at least help you think through your options. 

So many better options. 

I’m particularly curious about:Financing Options: What types of loans or funding sources work best when scaling quickly?

Additionally, regarding the legal structure, an LLC seems to be the most suitable option for our situation.