Landlord-tenant regulations are a bit complex in California and getting hands on is the best way to learn before expanding into larger investments. 

Honestly, I think this might be more symptomatic of larger issues in the real estate world in general.

However if you didn’t calculate in at least some percentage of the rent for vacancy, repairs, and CapEx then eventually things will happen, such as a vacancy or a repair being needed and you will be out of pocket a much larger amount of money than just your $400.

@Philip Beckwith, I disagree with some who think this should only be attempted for larger gross errors and also that you need to hire a company to do it.

It's doesn't really sound like you are much into being landlords so doing a 1031 might just change from "annoying when things come up" to full fledged head aches when you buy more and or larger properties in your current market.

Property prices are lower compared to larger cities, offering the potential for higher returns, while the demand for rentals remains steady thanks to a large student population and growing workforce.

I do not recommend paying any upfront fees, unless it's with a large bank that typically requires a good faith deposit on larger transactions.

You have the tools and mindset that work with larger scale commercial so I would network until you meet someone who may let you run some of their deals with them and see what they look like in person.

For larger accounts with PMS integrations VRBO is a passthrough and we are the merchant of record. 

Your assumption about them being understaffed or prioritizing larger clients could very well be true.