They argue that the first few years maintenance would be insignificant since the properties are renovated, and so you're essentially stashing that money away for the future maintenance needs. 

What you have described is essentially what I would love to accomplish in the next two years.

Essentially, a 1031 exchange is that neat little trick in the U.S. tax code letting you swap out one investment property for another “like-kind” property, all without taking a tax hit upfront.

However, it's essential to ensure that the property's condition aligns with your investment goals and that you have a clear plan for any necessary renovations.Fix & Flip :Freddie Mac properties can also be suitable for fix-and-flip investments.

This is an essential tool for anyone buying a tenant-occupied property. 

Part of my issue was not having a reasonably priced handyman ahead of time and eventually overpaying to just get it done and also inexperience as a manager.With that said, you essentially have two options: very cheap properties in less good areas (you're looking at 100k or less--which you might have trouble getting a good lender for)  or trying to do some sort of house hack (e.g. live in flip, live in rent by the room, multifamily) where you budget will be closer to 200k-300k.Personally, I would not look at real estate until you are maxing out your 401k and IRA, but lots of folks have done significantly better with real estate than stocks and would think I'm crazy for suggesting this.

It's one of the most important elements of making a deal happen.

A master lease is essentially called a Lease Option here in Canada.Yes, schedule B will over-ride anything previously written.

Are you essentially saying the expected higher interest rate is the main issue with the strategy?

I think the podcast lost its DIY element.