A buyer needed, I heard through the grapevine, $100M of liquid capital to acquire them for very darned little.

For me I have 3 main goals I am shooting for:1) Pay back the debt I acquired purchasing rentals this year. 

Just decided to get back into retail real estate too so, back helping fellow investors and Home Owners acquire property along with my own projects this should be fun lol.

Does anyone have any strategies on working with private lenders to acquire rental properties without using capital??

Depending on the state, when someone rents for a certain amount of time, usually 30 days or more, they become long term tenants in the eyes of the law, and they acquire "tenant's rights". 

It sounds to me like you're acquiring a liability. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If I had to start all over again, I'd look to acquire a 2-4 unit property with an FHA low-down payment mortgage.

He's an acquired taste but I've read many of his books and maybe I'm a fool, but I believe he is genuine in his commitment and drive for success.

A 1031 Exchange is also known as the Tax- Deferred Exchange, which allows the different shareholders as well as different depositors to reinvest the profits that these people had acquired as well as earned, most particularly when it comes from the different financial transactions of the property that the investor had advanced without acquiring different taxes from the government.

You have acquired skills that are worth 500k, so maybe you can translate that into an adjacent career path and leverage your existing skills?