Doing ground-up construction, where you buy land find the builder, and get a construction loan would be very difficult due to the deadlines of the 1031. 

Here is what I see: the property is more difficult to refinance because it is over 4 units, which excludes conventional loans (which are 1-4 units, as you might know).  

unfortunately, with both rates and prices high, it is very, very difficult to cash flow, even in a low cost market.i understand that not everyone's personal / family situation permits them to house hack, but there's no better way to get started. 

This makes getting a DSCR loan more difficult because of the under market rents. 

I am a new to all this and my situation makes things a little more difficult so any recommendations or advice would be great!

Many tenants are difficult to schedule with.

They are substantially changing other terms in the lease by asking for an additional option to renew, asking us to refund the security deposit, asking us to allow assignment without our consent, and insisting on us paying a commission amounting to almost $10K for the privilege of giving up all that.I just wanted a sanity check that this should not be all that difficult or onerous on us!

Things like this can be difficult to verify because it is often policy more than law/rule.

This is a really good post and a lot of great information, but investors reading through this, it is very very very difficult to learn if neighboring homes are section 8, let alone rentals.

It is difficult to say who will pay them but it will ultimately be whoever would like to maintain a continuing interest in the property.