Have your agent start to look for properties that will do the 1031 now.See my comments in recent post. 

Buyers don't look for financing and its foreign so they don't jump on a forsale listing on zillow.I've had the best (only) luck with zillow rental adds,   starting with the pitch;  rent to own, live in a great home while you pay off owning it. 

Start by reading the Ultimate Real Estate Investing Guide: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides/ultimate-real-estate-investing-guide/introduction2.

As for finding a contractor, asking local investors for recommendations is a great start.

Start looking for someone near you that you trust and you can partner with on a deal.

Timing will make a big difference leasing this SFH in Seattle— if possible, aim for your vacancy to hit the market ~May 15th to June 15th, maximizing time on market for a June / July lease start date— this will give you the largest tenant pool, lowest vacancy time & highest rent.

I never took action and started doing deals.

I didn’t just wake up and start bagging deals and becoming an all-around cheerleader for success.

I'm presently a facilities engineer by trade, who does some construction and maintenance for landlords on the side, hoping to get back into the private real estate game.

Quote from @Cody Caswell: Quote from @Bruce Woodruff: You're correct that getting every detail involved right from the start is critical!