Sometimes it makes sense to pay the gains if there are not adequate replacements.

Some of the materials we choose and asked him to pick up (such as flooring) he replaced with low quality materials, I assume to keep more of our money for himself. 

Sounds like there were some lean years but your persistence has paid off big time in terms of appreciation on both rents and home value.

It can make leasing a bit harder since you will have more vacancy when those come do but it will all be in peak season.With respect to the hiring decision, you would need to hire someone to replace you (perform the same functions you currently perform) so that you continue to work up the ladder (spending more time on higher value tasks).  

There will be a huge gap between coverages and replacement costs. - Renters are majority uninsured. - In September 2024 the FAIR Plan had $6B in exposure to the Palisades alone.

If that's the case look into finding a handyman, and make sure to shop around for the best price.Stuff I have ran into:lost keys/lockpicking [hired]broken washer [fixed myself]shower door [fixed myself]AC clogged [hired]Microwave broken [replaced myself]holes in the wall [fixed myself] Thank you!

Building a rental portfolio that replaces your income takes years and a lot of effort, this is especially true in our high price high interest rate market.You need to have at least a 10 year vision when buying real estate.

Assuming that's true, I would recommend looking for a replacement property (or properties - you can purchase multiple in the exchange) with value of at least $725K (selling price).  

If you’re not paying cash for properties, get pre-approved for an investor loan to understand your available credit.Time FrameThe shorter your timeline to achieve your goal, the more upfront capital and credit you’ll need.End GoalMost investing goals focus on replacing their current income, like $5,000/Mo.

@Jack Cottrell You Vacancy & Maintenance percentage are aggressive and may only work for a Class A rental/tenant.If the is a Class B or C rental that will attract Class B or C tenants, you should strongly consider increasing those percentages.NOTE: we deal with a LOT of Class B & C rentals, so we replace "Vacancy" with "Vacancy/Tenant Nonperformance".