There travel destinations just change (demand shifts).

That is risky in itself.It would seem a lot wiser to take those individual retirement plans and invest them into something they can each do independently such as smaller properties, trust deeds, crowdfunds focused on real estate based assets, or the like.

The only way this would be possible, at least to my understanding, would be to put the duplex in an individual's name so we could refinance with a bank on a 30 year loan.A question for my fellow CPA's or other's who have done this: how could we make this work as far as taxes are concerned? 

If you have one single lease then they should all, individually be fully responsible for the entire lease.

I'm a medical professional and there is a huge demand for corporate housing in this town.  

I know a number of individuals whose leases reflect the school year.  

Additionally, send a demand letter to the buyer for the earnest money if they failed to obtain approval within the required period in the contract. 

Study your market to determine what the higher demand is and act accordingly.

On the flipside, though, how many builders in 05-07 were salivating in markets just like what you're describing, and started major projects at the height of the demand cycle, only to be left with delinquent mortgages and vacant lots (or worse yet, vacant finished projects) when the bottom fell out all at once?

I'm seeing property managers struggle to keep up, let alone private individuals.