Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure: Given the sensitive nature of such transactions, how can I ensure confidentiality when reaching out to potential sellers or intermediaries?

Such situations are getting your opinion on a recently passed tax law, representing you in front of a tax court or analyzing complex tax situations(Transfer pricing, drafting complex partnership agreements with carry/waterfall calculations, etc)You likely want to connect with a CPA and a 1031 intermediary to help you with you needs.Best of luck!

The owner carry eliminates the intermediary, accelerates transactional efficiency and provides buyers and sellers considerable room for price and down payment compromise as the seller earns lower taxed interest income and often can sustain the income the property produced as a rental while transferring ownership and responsibility. 

On the other hand, the 1031 intermediary believes that it's a low-risk move, but they ultimately defer to the CPA.

Anyone have recommendations on who to use for a 1031 exchange? I’m located in NJ but unsure if that even matters. What was the process like? This is my first exchange. Any advice is most appreciated.

I'm having a hell of a time finding a 1031 exchange intermediary.  

Make sure to use an intermediary and do NOT take the cash directly. 

If you find a buyer and they want to walk the property with the seller you can also be there as an intermediary so you can ensure they don't start talking about numbers behind your back.

Why would a note seller need an intermediary?  

I’ve just addressed some highlights here as this 1031 option usually involves a 20-30 minute discussion with a qualified intermediary (QI) to ensure this is the best option for you based on your own goals and objectives.