1031 exchange from a sale of a rental property plus HELOC to fund the remaining.

You can use the 1031 to sell a larger unit that provides better cash flow while minimizing active management.You can either try to cluster those sales together so they close in a way that lets your replacement property be listed on each 45 day period and you close on it within 180 days of the first sale (the first exchange that will expire).Or you could do something like a reverse exchange where your Qi purchases the new property and holds it for you for up to 180 days while you sell all of your properties. 

Obviously, the rules will differ from state to state.The most successful buyers have trusted bidders with cashier’s checks in multiple denominations (for cash sales) and the actual buyers have field runners and people to monitor multiple prospective properties at a given time and check sales status for postponements due to BK, etc.This is the case in larger metro markets where many properties could go to sale but few do so.There are often better ways to acquire properties then auctions.

Use another realtor who will be your friend when you sale as your buyers agent.  

I actually help run the sales team at Backflip!

@Diane Perry is right, it's a cumbersome statute but the first thing you must do is have a qualified intermediary in place before your sale. 

I do not want sales agents in my market to believe I am expecting a fee each time I purchase a property and go out of my way to make it known to the broker community that they will represent me and collect their fee if they bring me a deal.

The areas you are looking in are a step below the most expensive so I have no doubt they are higher, but you are also looking at a small sample size when you only look at homes available for sale now.

You should be able to find a PM in your target market to help manage everything for you (I don't recommend managing from a distance...it can be a nightmare and your time is more valuable focusing on your sales business). 

With another we're 5 building for eventual sale.