For example the dozens of folks that have guaranteed they will lease my unit with cash in hand "tomorrow", the numerous contractors that have said they will arrive at X time for the emergency plumbing/heating/electrical work, or the tenants who say they'll have the money in by X.

Thanks to BP and numerous books I finally felt confident enough to take the plunge and buy a triplex.

Details are, makes $71k a year working for the state mental health/prison system.

As long as its meet 51% of residential use and commercial use will not affect the the health and safety of the occupants of residential property you should be fine. 

Numerous homeowners in the area employ the buy and rent strategy, like you had mentioned, and it works out nicely for everyone.

Take 4 courses a semester to maintain full-time status (there are numerous benefits to that status), get a RE license as soon as possible, and start making networking inroads.

We have inherited numerous tenants living in properties with an oral lease with the seller and have bought properties where the tenant names were not even completely documented-- all they had was a first name and an oral lease (jodi, apt. #1, 375.00, tommie smith, apt #2 ) We have tenants where the original lease holders have moved out and left adult children who never signed a new lease.

Not saying all realtors are shady but during the 2008-2012 period I made at least 10-15 seprate offers on hot properties in socal and numerous of times I saw a property end up being sold for less than i offered.

Going through the Lowell MA website (https://www.lowellma.gov/625/Health-Permits) , I saw a rental permit ordinance.

You want to think of the 1031 as just the vehicle that can be used to reposition those assets in numerous ways.