I know a couple guys in my Reserve unit trying to get active duty and Active Guard Reserve (AGR) positions and the process and wait list is huge and takes forever.

He's happy living there currently and won't be moving anytime soon, I don't think it's been his forever home an I respect that. 

That's referred to as "prescriptive easement" and you may be allowed to maintain that access forever. 

Refinish the old floors, they will last forever. 

I have 5 small buildings that I've had forever, and we found much success in painting all of them the same color. both interior walls and exterior.

I bought this in good faith and the information is good, takes forever to get thru it all, but to spend months going thru the course and then to find out I cant use their funding, what a waste of time and money 

Student loans are with you forever.

The cherry on top of all of this is that you could use the 1031 exchange then to buy what will be your forever home. 

My next long term goal is to have enough rental income to cover my mortgage on my forever home, and then to be financially free. 

If you think there is a crash coming and you'll be able to buy something for 50 cents on the dollar, you'll be waiting forever and be kicking yourself in five years for not buying now.