@Chaz Mathias The emerging markets moniker popularized by Lindahl doesn't really apply in this stage of the real estate cycle where everything is hot. 

Of course I will continue to educate myself and grow but I'm ready to start taking action otherwise I won't learn.  

If you haven't already, check out the meetup @Darrin Carey and I host in Fairborn each month: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521/topics/57...The next one is August 13th, 2018.Good for you getting an early start in your investments - most people your age are still growing up, and passive income is not on their radar.

I have some capital, and a lot of motivation to grow my company.

If those markets are growing population growth is coming!

She noticed something growing on her window and that's when she reported it to her landlord.

I going to try for a larger unit count 20+ and at lease a C+ that is growing or have more potential so there's more up side. 

I’m close enough to retirement age that I could make this my primary occupation within a few years and, with a little luck, invest on my own - but I like the idea of also investing other people’s money as a way to help grow their capital alongside my own.I’m fairly early on in my research but I am stuck on what seems a straight-forward tax problem.

Diversify - Grow your portfolio selling with the 1031 and buying multiple replacements and by doing it that way tap into 100% of your equity instead of the limits in a refi. 

It might benefit you to engage someone that understands real estate investing to be able to take advantage of these discounts, as well as use them to double check your work until to you grow to a point where it makes sense to outsource.