I do a lot of business near the parks with STR and I know the HOA fees can make it really difficult to make the numbers work.

Not sure what suburbs you are referring to, but I have a lot of clients that are very successful investing in areas like McHenry, Woodstock, Elgin, Antioch, Mundelein, Belvedere, etc. 

Negative cash flow is difficult especially on more extensive tenant turn overs or when dealing with a PIA tenant.  

Naturally your relinquished property must be sold before you can take title to the new property, but its a great way to make the process as smooth as possible.Even though the time frames can feel daunting I find that 95% of exchanges from my clients are successful.

Was this a difficult process, and who did you talk to in order to do this?

This approach balances immediate needs with long-term growth.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

HOA just pulled up 4 of my signs this week after courting investor client to buy there. 

As your portfolio grows, an LLC can streamline management and enhance liability protection.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

I have noticed with all of the guru's out there, it's gotten more difficult.

Most municipalities have different mix-use categories which dictate the precise commercial use that's allowed.A few additional observations on mix-use assets and how I approach them (1) they are generally more difficult to finance than multi-family assets so expect lower leverage terms even if the property performs just as well if not better than a multi-family property and therefore price this into your acquisition (2) I focus on mix-use assets where at least 80% of the income is generated through the residential component.