I don't think my current method of paying my handyman an $85 trip charge is cost effective. 

Your right it should have nothing to do with the 1031 but it it goes on the hud it is messy and easier for the service to claim you are receiving boot  A simple statement to that effect can go into the contract and the title company may even be willing to handle that part for you.Re: the excess funds- depending on valuations and any work needed on your replacement properties there may be a way to enfold that into improvements to tour replacements and still keep tax deferred status of that money

Our standard loan is a 5-month term which puts the effective rate at 6.25% - 7.5%.

Kids growing older and looming retirement spurs action, but it's less effective at that age. 

When I sell to buyers, they make their checks out to me personally.I formed an LLC today (today is the Effective Formation Date) and I notified all my buyers to begin making their checks to me payable to my LLC (instead of me personally).However, what is the proper thing to do with those checks my buyers *already* wrote a couple weeks ago (that are currently in the mail on their way to me) that have been endorsed to me personally? 

That is trying to squeeze a round peg into a square hole ... the OP or anyone else who wants to employ the buy and hold for cash flow strategy should move to a market other than LA that is more suited to that strategy (and there are plenty of them, but not LA today).

Another favorite site of BPer's: http://www.lonestarlandlaw.com/deceptive-trade-pra...Notice that "taking advantage of" and "predatory" have the same meaning.Consumer protection laws are basically, anti-predatory laws:https://www.nclc.org/images/pdf/udap/report_50_sta...Look to pages 6, 7 and 8, in the charts you'll see real estate listed and the findings of the effectiveness of state laws, in the opinion of the study.Here's GA.

We're looking OOS, AND sitting in cash,  feeling a cyclical change coming, nothing big, (rubber band effect), just a return of a bit of common sense.

So, it really only effects cash flow before debt service.

During the discussion i told him the three ties i came up with. knowing that i am interested in real estate he asked what would be the effects of an eviction.