Do you feel that these courses provided valuable and actionable information, or did you find them to be more of a sales pitch?

You can use the 1031 to sell a larger unit that provides better cash flow while minimizing active management.You can either try to cluster those sales together so they close in a way that lets your replacement property be listed on each 45 day period and you close on it within 180 days of the first sale (the first exchange that will expire).Or you could do something like a reverse exchange where your Qi purchases the new property and holds it for you for up to 180 days while you sell all of your properties. 

The list company is 2x more than what they market it to be during their sales pitch.  

You will start getting pitched on courses for out of state investors when David Greene's book has a great rundown.Like they said above, go in-person, meet people there.

What are the best strategies you’ve used to minimize this risk and keep projects on track? 

If not, you are going to get pitched and sold and DM'd before you even know what's going on.Bay Area investors invest all over the US, but you don't want to just pick a random market because someone in an internet forum told you to.

Also have 2 CA properties seeking to minimize taxation.

My four adult children are out of the house; so, below are goals for our 11 year old and me.Read 15 minutes per day and log it.Set limit on daily electronic use.Clean up after himself (toys, push chair in, dishes, clean bedroom, clean car).He plays sports and has a few tough baseball goals that he works with me on (inside/out swing, pitching mechanics, 3B fielding). 

It's because typically people say they want financial freedom but are looking for an easy button where they do minimal work and all this success happens in their life.

What are the best strategies you’ve used to minimize this risk and keep projects on track?