Dont know your total situation , this idea may suck big time , BUT , if this prevents a major hit on your credit or a bankrupcy , you still have a roof over your head and it gives you time to regroup . 

I feel like is time to put the fear to the side and get out in the field and from behind the books.

You won't be against a time clock to find a property which is the case with a 1031.

I now actually live in Colorado full time and am looking to get started. 

Fellow Gen Z'ers, if you have big aspirations, find someone you aspire to be like and follow their advice and actions.It's simple in concept but challenging in execution.

Joshua Tree is definitely interesting selection - probably destined to be a very volatile rollercoaster market - trends toward big overheats and then big crashes after over-builds, people that can time the bottoms over a long time frame can probably succeed very well

But I’m turning it around one unit at a time!

I’m a big fan of Cleveland myself because of its growth and potential.

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

my strategy in the UK is rental but I also do BRRR from time to time and have dabbled in multiple occupancy too, we call them HMOS in the UK (Houses of Multiple Occupancy) but I realise our terminology is very different.