This issue is usually easily resolved when timed correctly.

On these lower priced type properties why don't investors simply invest with a group local to them in larger properties that are more expensive where they live or simply invest maybe the next state or so over so you can easily travel there?

You could film your logo at intervals to add some protection from it being easily copied.

Based on research it appears Zelle is the only option that does not have a transaction fee for landlords.I did not include maintenance as a category since this can be done easily in a spreadsheet, but all of the options actually had pretty good maintenance and expense tracking.For Tax Support, all of the tools met the minimum for being able to export the financial information. 

So pick a market that is easily and readily accessible to you.

My wife and I would remain renting in our current apartment and we could easily afford to cover the mortgage indefinitely if/when it would be vacant. 

You can easily self manage 1 property with Zillow and Excel.

Obviously, this is not something easily done with a commercial warehouse, but theoretically you could do ANOTHER 1031 exchange of the warehouse after the prescribed number of years is up, for a residential home, rent that home out for the prescribed number of years, and then move into IT.

At the time I looked, 20 or so years ago, the problem with smaller down towns is the proliferation of nearby strip malls, where the stores are surrounded by a large parking lots, and for laundromats, attract more customers as they can park easily, walk to adjacent stores for shopping, snacks, and browse newspaper and magazine racks, which explains why they do better, there's more customers.

I think your income easily justifies a common-sense, time-proven method: increase earnings, reduce expenses, save, and invest.