If you are accredited investor just think about investing with a proven sponsor on a larger value add deal with more equity growth potential for your share of investment.

I even get a tad emotional thinking about it because I just want the best for this person and I fully recognize that this can be life altering if handled correctly. 

Do you have any suggestions on how to get companies/investors to actually recognize me and actually let me help them out?

If there is a clear value add to be done, and its being proven with a substantial number of units, or nearby properties are doing the same thing, then I'm fine with that.  

Also, does any owners of units simply go through and replace the anode, thermostat, and heating elements for less then $100 in materials and find that has proven to be a solution to get the units to last another 7 to 8 years?

You can even get a mortgage on NNN leases as they are recognized as one form of real estate ownership. 

Income production is not a requirement to be eligible for 1031.Where you'll have issues is that Pennsylvania does not recognize the 1031 exchange for deferral of state taxes.  

Reasons why that has not happened is if I have a partner in the deal that just insists on someone else, or their has been a major reason the agent has proven they just are not willing to earn their commission on a sale.  

I have been looking for marketing tools myself, and I just cant bring myself to spend the crazy amount of money if the lists are not proven to be beneficial. 

Our plan was to acquire 2 or 3 single family homes then make the leap to developing bigger commercial projects from raw land with a proven history in real estate investing.