My effective tax rate has been negative since 2003.  

I would think one quality agent sleuth would be more effective, a lot easier to manage (and be more fair to them) than 2 brokers and 2 agents.  

You can only hold the Sales Agent designation for 2 years, you must move on to Broker by then.Why not just find a great, investor friendly agent and use them as part of your team?

I was also lucky enough to be able to study architectural design at a trade school my last two years of high school and really enjoyed it, however I went on to study business in college.

With apartments you must have a strategy to bring and keep rents at market and reduce expenses and a manager/company who understands and is capable of executing that strategy effectively. 

The refinancing of loans would help but with a 1.5 yr timeline to pay the loans off the effect wouldn't be too material correct?

In fact, here's a recent article where NAR is quoted as saying "like-kind exchange transactions are fundamental to the real estate investment sector, and repealing the tax provision would have negative effects across real estate markets and the industry".I'd say don't worry about them going away any time soon.

Both daughters held title until 2005 and transfered property into the mothers name so she could get a reverse mortgage.The mothers will, which was recognized by the court, gives the property back to the 2 daughters after her death.The problem:The husband, the person still living in the property, is claiming ownership and refusing to let the daughters into the property to collect their mothers person effects.

I am a designer that works in tech.

There has been a relatively recent freon change and the old "R22" freon is extremely expensive (more than 10 times what it used to cost) and most newer units are designed for the new freon and the inside and outside components typically can't be old/new mix.