If you want to make improvements on the replacement property you will need to either have the cash set aside to make the improvements, or after you complete your exchange immediately do a cash out refi one of the properties to access some cash. 

I recommend you confirm that with someone else other than your agent.Food for thought…Insurance related: I’m currently replacing a roof on a house I own, not because the roof is “bad” but because it isn’t possible for the next buyer to get insurance with such an old roof (barrel tile, which lasts longer than the 30 years that insurance companies require).  

I had to replace the old laminate counter top in my LTR because the previous tenants had a coffee maker that leaked right where the diagonal seam was, and the water buckled the laminate over time.I had to put in a new laminate counter top because of time constraints.

While the tech sector is growing rapidly, it's complementing rather than replacing other strong industries.

We see this expressing itself not just as Bric's works to do things but as more and more accept bric's, work with them, toy with them, consider a replacement world currency, effect trade in other items than USD....... 

In the short term, I aim to replace my monthly income from my current entry-level job, I dont make a ton of money so this shouldn't be too difficult.

So there is an element where you will either replace a mortgage. 

Mid term and STR is a good option but you will have to furnish it, and do not go on the cheap route from IKEA or something that will break and you will have to replace it again anyway.  

Then he took the sledge and just bumped the bricks loose, down inside the fireplace.He took the whole fireplace out so there was a hole in the wall (and added a window) and the roof had to be extended over where the chimney went through, and they had to replace the shingles that were super damaged from the initial bricks falling.Permits, I don't know if that required a permit or not in San Antonio.

There are two idea I’m batting around in my head right now to get started on my REI journey – I can do it purely on the investing side and become a private lender or a source of hard money loans to builders/developers (maybe that looks like funding a construction loan collecting interest payments while buying time to better understand the dynamics and build relationships) or I can JV/partner with a builder and get equity (upside on a flip/sale) which would be more hands on.Curious what ya’ll input, what you think is the best route for me to dip my toes into REI given my aforementioned situation and current market.