You should be able to save more than enough for 25% down payments with your current income, and focus on buying newer lower maintenance properties in excellent locations. 

There are excellent places to invest in real estate across the Midwest, especially for single-family homes and small multis.

@Kim Meredith Hampton makes excellent points, but she shouldn't have to.YOU should already be thinking these things through, so you invest wisely and don't get taken advantage of.BTW - yes, BP is where you can post questions for answers, but ask BETTER questions!

For the most part it was in excellent condition.

Historically an excellent place to start your mortgage search for 5-20+ unit properties is a local credit union.

There are good reasons to do a 1031, but trading out an appreciating property with excellent cash flow without a predicate investment (one you have to have) is not one of them.

If the equity is sufficient for the down payment and qualifying for the new property there are some excellent HELOC or even fixed rate second mortgage programs available.

You should only invest in deals with excellent operators not excellent sales people

Excellent, I will always keep my eyes open to a good deal.

Got plenty of assurances that credit was “excellent,” but never any forward movement.