As already stated, Mobile home communities are not the preferred housing solution in most cities but since your potential lot is in a mobile home area, the city council may be more inclined to accept.

We're inclined to go the "replace everything" route (because if we're going to spend $100K to do "half" of the job, it seems to make more sense to spend more money now/once to do everything).I know next to nothing about elevators; what should I know? 

My husband has worked in positions that require him to be handy and mechanically inclined.

Not very inclined to take on a partner....Both properties will put me comfortably over what I need to spend for the 1031. 

My first inclination was that it was complete spam and to delete it.

For this being my first property I dont incline myself to purchase a broken bone house and would push for seller to fix structural issues beside I dont know if they can sell a property with that - do you know?

I'd be inclined to do it locally unless you have family down there that you visit.

I really don't have the inclination to do that.

Perhaps a bridge lender would be more inclined to finance as long as you had a strong business plan. 

If it’s not, I’d be very inclined to sell and reinvest in something else (1031 into a beach duplex rental in Capitola and stay there for free throughout the year, multi family in another fast growing metro like Denver or Austin, cash flowing building in South Chicago,  etc).