You may be able to Group like kind properties in some cases (combining hours)

I'm thinking of downsizing it and combining two of the units to where it might at least a 2/2 but maybe a 3/2.

Too many people trying to get by on some combination of fake jobs, government subsidies and charity. 99% of all the problems these people face, including the homeless, would go away if they got off their duff and started working a real job.

The missing element/data point here is the market rents in the area and how your units compare to the market.

*Tenant occupied properties that need a lot of work - especially when combined with my point above.

combining multiple sales and 1031s and buying one larger asset. 

The reality is messy and it's a muddled combination of all three.I had the huge benefit to start in 2008, not sure if I could pull it off again in today's market.

That being said ( and I will be interested to hear from some of the larger syndication groups ), I have found larger check writers (family offices hedge funds pref equity groups etc) often want some element of control and higher returns for their investment and so perhaps that is why larger operators accept smaller checks too. 

We sit at the base of the busiest National Park in the County (busier than Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone all 3 combined).

Its nothing new or exciting, but its a slightly different way of my brain and mind taking it in and it seems to be the combination I needed.