Personally, I find BTRs to be more predictable with fewer ongoing maintenance issues, and they tend to attract high-quality tenants.

Here is the situation: I found a good multi-family home in upstate NY. It's basically a legal 2-unit that can cashflow $900/month. Economically growing area. GREAT in today's market obviously. 
However, the house has...

I don't know what the issue is/was, but I think a lot of customers want to play games and he probably did his best to keep them on the straight and narrow. 

The minimum "initial" lease term in Atlanta is 2 or 3 months, so they don't qualify as STRs, and thus don't have the same regulatory issues.

You need to think about not just the potential income but also the potential problems such as city ordinances, state law, insurance, potential eviction issues, etc.

This article presents three key factors to consider before deciding that now is the time to sell/exchange: 1) regulatory, 2) economic and 3) personal timing.1.

Investors should therefore exercise significant care when choosing their Qualified Intermediary because of the critical role the company will play in the administration of their 1031 Exchange transaction.It is extremely important to note that 1031 Exchange Qualified Intermediaries are generally not required to be licensed, regulated, audited or otherwise monitored by any regulatory body.

Major cities where STRs have only began rising up and gaining public spotlight with the rise of AirBNB are more likely to have more shifting and less stable regulatory environments since those areas are still in the process of trying to find the balance for STRs within their markets. 

Long-term leases are less operationally complex and face fewer regulatory risks - more stable and scalable option.

(other issue was a leaky toilet we took care of, at our expense).