There's nothing inherently difficult with a 1031 other than some compressed time lines that force you to shop hard early and decisively. 

As a result of the four items mentioned above, cap rates have continued to compress and will likely stay relatively low historically speaking, especially if capital continues to flow into the asset class while interest rates remain low. 

Cap rates, as many of you know, and have compressed considerably across the country in that asset class, even in secondary or tertiary markets. 

It helps new workers in the short term, but it compresses salaries for existing workers.

With that being said it would be very tough to find those returns, so I would recommend looking in more rural areas away from the city as cap rates are starting to compress.

There is sometimes an option also to sell shares to an investor outside of the group or some of the other companies that buy partial shares for properties BUT there is typically language in the partnership agreement having to get additional approvals.Up that way cap rates are more compressed than in warm belt states.   

The truth is that the market run-up and cap-rate compression created exists for everyone who bought early in the cycle.

That is basically correct buy the time they filter down a lot of the margins are compressed The actual mechanics of how some of these note brokers operate and built their business is for them to answer but I suspect it was with good hedge fund , bank,connections and large capital or credit basis I know you can start by soliciting for owner held notes buying at discounts then reselling them,but that is a conversation for those who run the note schools,seminars etc.If you find out a better way I would love to know and am not trying to discourage you 

I've had the place for awhile and he's lived there for awhile but the above issues compressed into 6 months have broken the camel's back (especially the shed: I called the lawyer as soon as I found out).

For example in commercial if for every dollar in your country is worth 2 U.S. dollars plus you have low debt fixed in the 4's and cap rates in the 8's you do not stand to gain by waiting.If your currency devalues and interest rates rise here and cap rates compress you could lose 100 basis points of return by waiting.