Make it a gas unit, not wood.That might make it more interesting.

I am new to the world of real estate investing and want to one day own properties and rent units out.

@Ilia Zakharav, There's no problem in selling individual units and 1031 exchanging them as individuals. 

I’ve got 31 units, and I’m sure there’s 4-5 other landlords with 15-50 units in my area.

Single family, 2-4 unit? 

Quote from @Gregory Wilson:As for the second, there are only about 20 monetary numbers to be entered in Turbo Tax on a single unit rental property 1065 so it always seems to me that the $3500 would be better spent elsewhere.

 Which city in the United States has appreciated the most over the past 10 years?

I don't know the laws in Australia, but in the states, you can usually get a low down payment loan if you will live in the place and you can do this up to a 4 unit and rent out the rest.

Getting into these properties as a non occupant coborrower (all the money invested to get in was mine) was a less cash heavy way to get into the properties versus as an investor.I already have great equity in these properties and prices continue to up.Sounds like, so far, the consensus is to sell the properties and roll the money into other non-condo units.

I self manage, have a cleaner but I also sometimes turn the unit myself.