The time sensitive nature of the 1031 and the nightmarish myriad of regs associated with it demand that you have timely experienced professional service.So take me with a grain of salt but my advice to all - Don't go with the cheapest or the most expensive. 

Do it right by using a scoring tool, then strip the paper (chemically is easiest, depending on your sensitivities) and make sure that you neutralize the stripper according to the directions on the chemical.  

I think you will find renters are pretty price sensitive.

You should also add motion sensitive spot lights if they are hanging around after dark.

Slightly more valuable properties I prefer to rent for less and save the expensive updates for just before selling because that price range buyer is more sensitive to what is in style...beige granite now dated in favor of grayer quartz whereas low end is thrilled with any solid surface over plastic laminate.

If you're so sensitive, be careful of your snarky criticism. 

We were tempted to glue down vinyl plank (we had luck with pressure sensitive glue in another rental), but it seems like that will require us to add a subfloor.

But I know I will invest in a syndication and this would be my criteria, along with some other questions once they have met my standards with what I mentioned above.preferably, you'd like to see that the sponsors have been through the last downturnit's easier to have good returns in an upswingthe longer the track record of the promoter, the bettermostly, you need to see that their numbers are conservative and make sensesome of them even do a sensitivity analysis, but at least they should have a best-middle-worst case scenario described

This model is well suited for a portfolio with one or two relatively static assets such as private placements, crowdfunds, etc.If your interest is investments that are more time-sensitive and transaction intensive over time, such as direct ownership of a rental property, then you will want to look into a specialty provider that offers a Checkbook IRA LLC or Solo 401(k) program. 

If there's a hole, it may be a red flag.b) sensitivity analysis: I examine all the assumptions, and make sure I can live with the worst case scenarios.c) "Stall and see": if they are getting money over multiple years, and there is no penalty for investing later, I would usually wait so I get some real performance data, versus having to look at theoretical pro forma information.d) Recession stress test: I will not invest in anything, until I subject it to recession level stress and see if I can live with the result.