Therefore, I plan to ensure this does not continue to happen to other investors/professionals.

My recommendation - you are 30 and a family of four - continue to save money until you feel comfortable in real estate.

Overall, though the cash flow in my market may be lower, the strong appreciation has made for a higher total ROI and I've continued to buy here. 

To be honest I wanted to dissolve that LLC mostly because I didn't want to continue paying all the annual fees associated with it

This approach allows for continuous growth and wealth accumulation.

Not sure yet what strategy makes the most sense for me, but I'm here to continue to learn, grow, and network.

The fees associated with the exchange could offset the tax savings, but it’s a viable option if you plan to continue investing in real estate.

It's not great either but they are stating if given this deal once I have 5 properties; they will allow me to convert my 5 properties (I have an LLC but the properties are all in my name not in the LLC yet) over to a commercial loan (5 properties min) and give me a line of credit to continue buying additional properties.

It will be a constant grind of content creation, and continuing to learn and regurgitate your learnings into digestible content.  

Consider emerging Sunbelt markets like Phoenix, Tampa, or parts of North Carolina (like Raleigh or Charlotte) that continue to see high migration and job growth, driving both appreciation and rental demand.