The property management company that I made a 10 year contract with is responsible for everything (vacancies, maintenance, repairs, etc).I get the $300 every month, and they sub-let to students at higher rents and are responsible for everything (and its in their interest to keep the property nice and tidy). 

Thank you for any responses you provide.Shane

However, after discussing more with the realtor it was disclosed that the landlord was responsible for water and gas, which very much destroyed the cash flow I thought I had.

It defeats the purpose of selling a property through a 1031 exchange when you just refinanced it. 

Again, keeping in mind that this is a small duplex, as the landlord I'd rather not pay an extra $40 a month for standalone internet/cellular service.Which leads me to my question -- insofar as the submetering system could function through a tenant's cable internet service, is there any legal prohibition on including language in a lease to require that a tenant maintain such internet service for the stated purpose of monthly water readings?  

I don't know—I tend to think the economic response of Hurricane Harvey will be different than that of Katrina, mainly because Houston's economy is very different than New Orleans' economy.

I know its not a lot of money, but I was hoping I'd do a 1031, but I was told that in order to be qualified for a 1031 the property should have been "for investment purposes" which usually means for rental, which it was not.Can someone clarify here?  

We tell new people all the time to try to hook-up with more experienced folks, and learn from them, and so it's strange to me to hear that frequent posters would also lack the common business courtesy of a response, even if just to say no thanks.

Would you recommend one partner provides more cash and the other partner is responsible for the previously mentioned duties?

@Christie Gahan thanks for the response.