Strong work!

Quote from @Gregory Wilson: A few things there, Brendan.First, an LLC with you as a member and your (wife, son, pal, etc.) partner as a 1% member will file a Form 1065 which is about one tenth as likely to be audited by the IRS as a Form 1040 with a Schedule E rental activity (which I presume you will attempt to show is an active business).Second, you want an LLC because when your local Alabama handyman drives his girlfriend's uninsured truck into a van load of U of A medical school interns on I-22 when he goes  to get some shingles for your roof, on your business, you don't lose everything you have or ever will have to an uninsured claim. 

They make ordering items from different companies easy, and you get discounts from each store that has partnered with them. 

Where I’m Focusing: Ohio (Dayton and Cincinnati) — I already have trusted partners for renovation and construction.Investment Strategies: I’m interested in fix-and-flip and BRRRR.Open to Networking: Real estate agents, investors, contractors, and anyone passionate about real estate.My Goal: To learn from experienced investors, share ideas, and build a scalable real estate business.Looking forward to connecting and learning from this great community! 

I have an opportunity to purchase a triplex with a partner.

This is especially helpful since your goal is to replace your income and invest full-time.Market Timing: Bend, OR, has seen strong appreciation, but if you believe the market is peaking or stabilizing, now might be a strategic time to cash out.Cons:Losing the Low-Interest Loan: Your 3.1% rate is a huge advantage in today’s environment.

@Eric SmithGenerally, if the taxpayer sells the relinquished property to an unrelated party, the taxpayer generally cannot acquire replacement property from a related party unless:The related party is also participating in a 1031 exchange.The related party pays more in tax on the sale to the taxpayer than the taxpayer is deferring in the exchange (this scenario is rare).Let’s look who is considered a related party: Spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, and siblings.Corporations and shareholders owning more than 50%.Commonly controlled corporations.Partnerships and partners with more than 50% interest.Trustees, grantors, and trust beneficiaries.Non-Related Parties:In-laws.Aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces.Friends.Domestic partners.Entities owned 50% or less by the taxpayer or a related party.In your case, your mother-in-law, aunts, and cousins are not considered related parties to you under the definitions in Sections 267(b) and 1031(f).

We were going to partner together on it where I build and run a STR on it.

Since you are new, find a partner to go through it first.

(You say it’s worth about $100k more than you’re paying so figure an extra $15k.)Maybe you’d be better off partnering with the parents unless they have zero interest?