A 1031 is very easy to understand and most can be found online for free or through a phone call to your accountant or a friend who's an accountant. 

VRBO and Airbnb make it pretty easy to manage calendars and accept payments.

Partnerships are easy to get into, not always so easy to get out of.I occasionally listen to a podcast done by an attorney and accountant named Refresh Your Wealth that has covered partnerships a number of times, most recently this past April in Business Partnerships – Do's & Don'ts so it might be worth a listen.In any case, congratulations on working on your first investment property, and be sure to say hello if you come to the next RIREIG meeting!

I feel like it would be fairly easy to get somebody in there paying $1400 a month.  

I have done this and it does make the mortgage attainment easy as they rely on the JV partner.

Easy solution! 

I would also look at which of these has the best mass transit, easiest access, and some type of amenities.

@Jay Hinrichs - It is easy enough to meet the requirements by hiring someone licensed to underwrite the loan.  

It is easy to put numbers on a paper.Disclaimer- I am just getting started in RE, so my opinions are all based on books.

It's not that I don't understand it; it's that I understand how easy it is for a tenant / purchaser to sue and win.