Our loan balance is $640k (rolled a HELOC that we used to buy a triplex into the primary mortgage back in 2020) on a 30-year fixed @ 2.85%.

@Bryan Cavellier, You can 1031 with any US property including Guam, the USVI and ...drum roll- The Northern Marianas Islands (go figure but I actually had a realtor from there in a class of mine recently) into any other US or one of those territories.  1031 is a federal statute so it's applied the same in all locals with just a few variations state to state at the state level. 

However, separate property must be KEPT separate, so as the years roll by there’s less likely that separate property remains separate.Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin are the community property states.The other 41 states are known as “equitable distribution” states, though their individual laws often differ considerably.  

I'm skeptical but I'm willing to test the water to something small first.

Alternatives include Stessa (free) and Buildium (more robust, pricier).For testing, a phased approach is generally best.

Keep saving money and just keep it rolling.  

Originally posted by @Henry Li:@Brent Olsen@Bob MaleckiI just invested 10k the minimum to test it  out.

Sounds like you’ve got the ball rolling, best of luck with your investing journey, keep that cash coming!

•Run your numbers conservatively and stress-test your investment.Lastly, I’d reconsider Section 8 (S8) for your first deal.

You can test that side of it out to see if it's a good fit for you, but take some time to find which side is the right fit for you because that will be a key to achieving long-term success.Also build as many sponsor relationships as you can in the beginning because that'll give you plenty of options when you find a deal.