you are competing against other investors spending thousands or tens of thousands of dollars on marketing every month. 

Recognize that going out of state will come with a lot of learning and education; there's a cost for that of your time and if its better served educating out of state or spending it on the property.

An LP writing a $10mm check, likely, will visit the offices of the sponsor and spend a few days with them.  

The foundation is so bad the house has shifted and I’m going to be spending nearly 40-50k to get this remediated.

You may need to spend every cent they offer on moving things out and back in, but that a small price to pay if after this is done you have your property back in the condition it was when you started.

It may sound funny to pay a 1031 exchange service to simply receive money for you and spend it for you, but it is essential. 

Get to a point of having enough cash flow for me to spend less time on my job and more time with young kids in 5 years2.

Are they holding the money, or are they spending it?

Stop hanging out with your deadbeat buddies who spend all day drinking, talking sports, and otherwise wasting away.

Not spending money.