You can use the 1031 to sell a larger unit that provides better cash flow while minimizing active management.You can either try to cluster those sales together so they close in a way that lets your replacement property be listed on each 45 day period and you close on it within 180 days of the first sale (the first exchange that will expire).Or you could do something like a reverse exchange where your Qi purchases the new property and holds it for you for up to 180 days while you sell all of your properties. 

One hill I will die on is optimizing for minimal assembly.

This is because I only buy nice properties which helps minimize my future repairs.

Also have 2 CA properties seeking to minimize taxation.

@Thomas F Blaskey If your gain after expenses is minimal (~$15K), selling outright is straightforward, with modest taxes on the gain (15%) and depreciation recapture (25%).

Risk is minimized due to the amount of rents, property condition, property price, and location.

If you want to minimize your risks talk to your Banker, Realtor, other investors.

I recommend starting small and looking for turnkey properties to minimize the stress of managing rehabs.

Just curious what is the long term plan as far as minimizing tax in later years as the account in pre-tax become huge?   

At the same time, I prefer to minimize liability, though I’m not a seasoned investor.Is this one of those calculated risks that investors eventually become comfortable with, or should I prioritize limiting liability from the outset?