The great thing about this site is that you can check out references on the front page of someone's profile and actually talk to folks who have worked directly with them.  1031 is a process and an exacting process. 

He helped sell many of the handyman special homes, but as we started bringing in newer/nicer homes to fill vacant lots, the buyer profile changed and didn't match well with his saltiness. 

You can read more about my back story on my profile.  

Fast forward to today, two years later, and now I've begun taking actionable steps toward increasing my own knowledge-base, and investing in myself to be prepared as possible for my first deal, which I am targeting to be a modest multi-family home that I intend on rehabbing and house-hacking (my actual goals are in my profile, I don't want to be redundant and post it on here too, haha.) 

Buying retail for cash flow with large down payments that you can’t get back with a refi can be a good investment strategy for many people and invest profiles, but it’s not a growth strategy and therefore not a fit for my current goals.

I have a few reviews published on my bigger pockets profile.

Anyone still have problems trying to upload their profile picture?

See the profiles of "rent strike organizers."

Look at profiles, read their forum responses/posts, call and interview them, etc.Best of Luck!

Have you considered looking at a market with lower price entry (lowering your risk profile on the first property helps get over the initial hump)?