We do currently have around $50k set aside for our next downpayment as well (that’s in addition to a $25k emergency fund).

Maintain an emergency fund5.

Those duplex's my clients bought are now trading high 400s low 5s .On the flip side my current project in Canby Oregon I am alble to negotiate 1 to 1.2% for the buyers Brokers these are 700 to 1 mil each..

Do you have enough funds for down payment and closing costs + emergency funds 3.

Using a GC you will have less headaches as you'll have one point of contact and they will coordinate schedules between the various trades. 

However, in the event of an emergency, the Landlord and/or his agent has unrestricted access to the property.

The 1031 exchange is designed to give you a loophole: You are not considered to be selling and buying, you are simply trading your property for a different one or ones.

They're good to have open access to capital/cash/equity to a property ahead of time so you can execute a deal or purchase when the time comes on a split second decision (versus having to apply to a loan at that time which might take 20-45 days to get approved/closed/etc plus by that time you dont know what your future income/credit/assets will be like in order to qualify anyway).The second use is sleep at night factor and having a reserve of capital in the event an emergency event occurs in life.For these two reasons is why I use lines of credit.

If i was starting from scratch, i'd probably start by developing a job skill, probably in the trades like electrician or plumber.

I mentor aspiring/emerging developers in my role as a part time CFO, particularly when it comes to the financial side of real estate investing.