I’m a truck driver recently just moved out my apartment to cut expenses and start this journey of planing the long game with real estate.

Also know that the 203k is less and less popular now, since most renovation loans have moved to the fannie mae homestyle.

So, where can she move her money after selling in order to avoid capital gains tax?

If you have previously treated this property as an investment property, one option you have is to move out of this property, move into a different property you own (or into a rental), and then do a 1031 exchange.

Since the house was already going to be a rental when we moved to the next, I decided to claim rent, depreciate it, and expenses.  

What's your next move? 

Im looking at 7% however I think a better safe guard for me to have enough skin in the game is to move the sales price higher just in case he decides to pay off the loan earlier.

The seller needs moving money, there are oftentimes an arrears that has to be paid on the loan, there are oftentimes HOA fees that are due, there are title costs, there are escrow costs, usually there is deferred maintenance, you have to make mortgage payments out of pocket until you get a renter in there, you have to pay utilities and taxes, and you need reserves in case it all doesn't go as planned.3.

is there a vacant unit for you to move into?

Either buy all cash and do a cash purchase refi immediately and move the funds to the next purchase.