However, this is allowing me to move out of the SF townhome my mother left me which will rent for $3k once rehabbed. 

Its actually Tenant management when you are dealing with socially disadvantaged and low income families almost always lead by single mothers. 

Plus, its worth noting that no Retail Priced property will be at a number where you're going to get the benefits of investing (cash flow and equity)What is working now is looking for single family with accessory units or mother-in-law suites, or duplexes.

I am very new in investing and am confused on whether I need to use a 1031 exchange here:I currently own a condo that my mother lives in rent free.

Not Seattle, but Kitsap County...I have a property there that could be marketed to travel nurses and TDY shipyard workers. 

Remote work, travel nursing, school.

She owns a home 45 minutes away, with a $1100 mortgage payment and potential rental income of $1400 from the house, plus $500 from a mother-in-law suite (already rented).

My wife and brother-in-law inherited their mother's house via a land trust and it was great in that it avoided probate.

Throw in a dose of imposter syndrome and fatalism and you have a recipe for some mood swings right before a property is booked again.From a practical point, I would recommend great photos, a clearly defined target to whom you are advertising and understanding the best pricing of an area really well to ake sure you get booked in a timely fashion.From a more meta perspective, be aware that these listings don't typically get booked well in advance (families displaced by flood or fire, traveling nurses who need a new contract ASAP, and construction projects that realize they need a speciality engineer on-site RIGHT NOW don't book ahead). 

I am more interested in people who do midterm rentals, anything over 1 month....I know some people who rent to travel nurses/techs etc, I think its a great business idea.