It can make great returns and avoid tenants, toilets, and property tax bills. 

A lot will depend on your bandwidth and time commitment. 2) Once you figure it out, you can look into different niches within the options available for either active or passive investors.3) Educating yourself on the option selected is must.4) Take action once you have the power of knowledge in you.Best!

They have a MGMT company manage folks renting the place while they are away and they are down here 5 months out of the year, definitely aren't making crazy money but enough just to not sink with the bill.

Do you pass down the bill?

I was told that I’d be able to grant someone with Power of Attorney. 2. 

If it is a flip - then you cannot use 1031. 1031s are for rental properties.If it was a rental - then yes, you can use a 1031 exchange. 3 pointers:sometimes it makes more sense to pay the tax, so run the numbers firstuse an experienced 3rd party intermediary, like @Dave Foster or @Bill Exeteryou must engage them before you sell the propertyGood luck!

Would it be better to go with non-friends as you select your power team?  

In order to get power turned on our management company paid them and then we had to sort it out later.

I avoid high tension power line routes and toxic waste dumps areas and industrial areas and light manufacturing areas and main highways.

Unfortunately, we started pretty late so can't rely on the power of time to help us much.