The only flips that qualify for 1031 that I know of is IF your initial intent was to hold long term, you did hold for at least 366 days, and you can show that your intent was to hold from the start but circumstances changed.

There are 5 touch points.  1 is the initial posting on the door - (some leases will allow tenants to waive their rights to a 10 days notice - for late rents) or a 30 days notice is required on a MTM lease. 2 is the magistrate filing (about $150 to $175 - depends on how much is owed, and how many people on lease or you'll have to write "Et tal" after 1 name to cover the entire household when you don't know exactly who lives there. 3 is going to court - the local magistrate will mail you a date and time to appear.  4 is waiting the 10 days after you won possession.

So I’m wondering, as well as my initial work getting the deal should I have more skin in the game.?

Initiate gettting them out .

I have noticed that most tenants will sign very landlord friendly leases especially if you send them in Docusign and it’s easy to click through initialing every page.

All HELOC rates are adjustable (usually adjust with prime) unless you go with a bank that offers to lock the rate for a HELOC draw (usually for a fee) and banks that offer these usually have higher initial rates also. 

I made sure I kept six months mortgage for vacancy and any initial rehab/maintenance.

Only one of our properties has any of our initial investment still in it (it was purchased NYE and is not a BRRRR). 

They initially said no, but after some negotiation (4 months) we settled on the sale price.

I made the initial walk with a GC and have his quote but am looking to see if I can run some options to stay on or under budget!