The licensed versions sold at big box stores are not the same quality and break down quickly and rarely have replacement parts.

So your $300k number might be what the flipper sold the final product for, less what they purchased it for.

Then they won't need an upfront payment for work they haven't provided yet.Also, get a signed contract, copy of the drivers license, contractor's license and be added to their liability insurance.

Quote from @Isadore Nelson: 180k + 40k, sold for a 'profit' at 218k? 

Additionally, most of these properties have very favorable interest rates, so I’m hesitant to refinance and risk losing the cash flow they currently generate.Last year, I sold one property to invest in a STR in Orlando to diversify and move into a better asset.

I believe that all you need to do here is get a link to your profile (which you can find by navigating to your profile by clicking on your photo), then copy and paste that link into the FB group.

Amazon never sold all those items at first.

@Kezia Edmonson, it's all about the valuations as @Jon Taylor mentioned.In your 1031 exchange you must purchase at least as much investment property as you sold in order to defer all tax. 

@Denise Lang some copy & paste thoughts:TYPES OF RENTAL INVESTMENTSRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

In my case I sold off appreciated properties in a location I deemed as having limited future upside, and used the proceeds to eliminate all debt on the better located prime properties I wanted to keep long term.