One thing you need to know about me is I do all the managing and fixing at my properties I am in the trades so if I can't fix I know someone that can.

The value of the rental property side of the new property must be equal to or greater than the value of the rental property that you are selling (in other words you must trade equal or up in value) if you want to defer all of your taxes. 

Although I don't have any practical real estate investment experience, I have dabbled pretty extensively into other investment avenues such as stocks and mutual funds primarily trading in the tech sector.

I’m a Major in the USAF (Civil Engineer and EOD by trade), currently stationed at Peterson AFB, Colorado, but I’m writing from Djibouti Africa where I’m deployed.

Originally posted by @Ali Boone:Notes are great, but the biggest bummer about them is you do miss out on a lot of the financial benefit that owning real property gives- equity build, tax benefits, etc.Another is that notes don't hedge you against inflation unless you're actively trading them up.

Real estate investments like this are generally considered a passive activity as opposed to a trade or business (in which case you could deduct these types of expenses). 

Investors could loose $50,000 - $200,000 (haven't had anyone come in at over 200k yet), but I could loose my house and more...I think that's fair trade :)

If you can trade down with a car and buy used then do it.

I've been investing in SFRs for the past three years, but I'm trading up to start investing in small apartment complexes.

And yes, I am talking about sellers listing their properties at 3-4% cap prices in markets trading at 10-12% caps.