Because we are dependant, for the most part, on word of mouth recommendations it is vital that our recommendations are valid.

FYI - my credit score used to be in the low 800's and I owned a $700,000 home in MN and I regularly scour myfico for help on letters, disputes, validations, etc.  

A valid 1031 exchange is a sale of property you've held for investment and a purchase of other property you intend to hold for productive use in investment. 

In my market the tenants pay for gas and electric I pay for water.

The last buyer agency sale took more than 60 hours of my time and a lot of gas and phone calls.

I found Reef Oil and Gas, and then read some negative news reports about them and crossed them off the list.

Even if you're only making $1 per month, you're owning an appreciating asset at zero cost (tenants paying on your behalf).Now Jay made a valid point about this probably being a tough one from a management perspective (difficult tenants likely) BUT if its your first property and you're looking to learn from it, and its close enough for you to self manage easily...

I charge $535 per bed room and they pay all their utilities (gas electric water).

Meaning it has a well and electric and gas if it has those things. 

If a potential tenant in this order recieves lease agreement then makes payment including security deposit, first and last months rent  via certified cashiers check is the agreement valid if it’s not signed?