A relative who does long-distance real estate investing told me that I have to sign the final loan document and the transfer of ownership document in person.

I personally use a company called swift permits.

Any insights, personal experiences, or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Id have a lawyer on hand, this person seems like they will escalate issues once you notify them you aren't renewing their lease.  

Intangible assets like goodwill or tangible personal property (e.g., equipment) are excluded from 1031 treatment and are taxed separately—goodwill is typically taxed as a capital gain, while equipment may be subject to depreciation recapture taxed as ordinary income.To minimize taxes on the sale of the business, consider strategies such as Opportunity Zone investments, which defer gains until 2026 if proceeds are reinvested in a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF), or structuring the sale as an installment agreement to spread taxable income over multiple years.

I personally like the town of Oakhurst and the restrictions are less rigorous than Mariposa. 2.)

Creative Freedom: You get to design and transform spaces, which can be personally fulfilling.The Bad: Where Flippers Lose Money⚠️ Underestimating Repair Costs: Surprise structural issues, contractor delays, and material price spikes can kill your budget.⚠️ Market Changes: A hot market today might cool down before you sell, which reduces the profit.⚠️ Financing Challenges: Hard money loans carry high interest rates that nibble into the bottom line.Unrealistic timelines: If you think you're going to be in and out in 60 days, you're sadly mistaken-most flips take longer than expected.Real Talk: Is Fix and Flip Still Worth It?

Living in one unit and renting out the others allows you to deduct 75% of expenses like mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, and shared repairs as rental expenses, while the remaining 25% applies to personal use.

Typically someone who was communicative turns distant, unresponsive, blows you off when you're trying to talk to them in person, and the tall tale sign of boxes in the hallway.

I can't say when that will be but 4.125 is quite a lot depending on the rate you get.I personally want a hassle free funding experience and the lower rate.