I don't know the benefits or downsides of either.

I have a degree in Interior Design and feel that has been a huge benefit in rehabbing.

@Michael Roesch,If you have some skills in the trades that is a big benefit. 

Some clients save thousands of dollars a year with a Solo 401k compared to a self-directed IRA.Here are a few of the Solo 401k benefits:Compared to an IRA, Solo 401k contributions limits are roughly ten times higher.There is no custodial requirement for the 401k.You can take participant loans from the plan.You don't need the additional expense and administration of an LLC to have checkbook control.There is a built in-Roth component whereas IRAs are either traditional or Roth, not both.A spouse can also participate in the same Solo 401k plan.The Solo 401k has additional tax benefits over an IRA when investing into real estate using leverage.

It creates a double benefit for you, and doesn’t cost you any additional money.

This way you pay the property off as soon as possible, allowing you to do a cash out refi asap.Assuming you are ok with no cash flow for awhile, would this provide any tax benefit? 

@Kiku Yamaguchi, I think that you're saying that the apt you are selling now is a rental and you want to 1031 into something that will get you closer to the $30K annual number you want in order to be able to scale back your work life.If that's the case you don't have to reinvest into any particular type of real estate in order to benefit from the 1031. 

I'm wondering if the benefits outweigh the costs of getting my real estate agent licence.

Or you can sign with a publishing house, give them 30% of whatever is  made from selling books, have the benefits of massive exposure and their expertise and make significantly more with less headache. 

I feel as though I could benefit greatly from a group like this and hope to bring something to the table as well.