This is very frustrating given that I was under the impression that I could just roll the entire retirement balances over to a IRA and then have complete control to invest that money into properties. 

@Colleen A Levitt check if you have a prepay penalty and what the seasoning requirements would be for the new loan to recognize the new value.

In California the DRE does not require you to join any association.

Hi,I am planning on a potential 1031 (very early stages) and would like to see what the reinvestment goal would be to maximize the befits of the 1031.property I would like to exchange purchase price $515,000sell price est: $725,000current principle balance: $350,700Interest rate 3.25Current Mortage is $2300 and it rents for $4000. 

If you are thinking about a new purchase with a heloc vs a current 30 year fixed rate, this could be a good alternative.Basically, helocs are billed based on the average daily balance of the account.

My original loan amount is $323K, balance left $319K at 7% and 28 yrs and 8 months left.

That said, the fewer units a property has, the easier it is to manage, so smaller multifamily properties can offer a good balance between cash flow and simplicity.

The bay area has many old houses so be aware of what it will take to being them up to code and meet insurance requirements.

What documents do they require, what credit scores do they allow, how do they verify previous rental history, etc.?

When it comes to stocking your STR with essentials, balance is key.