Thus, the realistic options are 1031 to DSTs or sell, pay tax, and invest in marketable securities!?  

I'm calculating which markets are the hottest and going after them. 

If the other two parties want to flip a house maybe they can do just that as partners and then sell you the house which you can buy with a primary home loan with low down payment.

However, given todays market, it is definitely hard to find one. 

Cheapest marketing model I’ve put together.

Parking lots, truck, parking lots, RV and trailer storage, storage units.Does anyone have good information on how to perform market analysis for these kinds of investments?

I first started out in Real Estate by house hacking in college. 

I still am on the lists of all the major wholesalers and still show up to showings occasionally on properties that might have enough margin for me but have not purchased recently from a wholesaler.Just like Adrien says, they provide a service of marketing and negotiating contracts for you.

I hear there's a recent case in Federal Court where an investor was found NOT GUILTY of violating anti spam laws because his text was asking to BUY a property, which isn't sales (which is what marketing is). 

House hacking is a great way to get started.