If you are in many states, this can be slightly more difficult, but there are several options out there.

Can I use my 1031 exchange money to invest in several other properties as long as the total amount I invest equals the net amount I exchanged?

Ours involve creation of notes, and then forgiving them over several years, to take advantage of the annual limits on gifting.As to the mortgage, you cannot just take his name off the mortgage.

@Mathew Collins I would suggest several questions to ask. 

Several websites you can go to on your own to help you decide if this is the area/property for you: Zillow for broad-stroke comps and what the sale/rental market looks like (how many rentals there are like yours and what they’re renting for), www.city-data.com for demographic data (like number of occupied rentals), and www.harriscountyfemt.org for flood plain data.

We purchased a small condo in San Jose, CA in 2012 and as my husband is a residential construction project manager who has several skills, we were able to semi-rehab the place, held and sold for a single family home. 

The properties have appreciated more than that over the last few years due to inventory shortage and limited appreciation the previous several.

There is also a location in Texas that provides the same service and either of them will forward your mail to wherever you want it sent.While traveling for six years, we found several places we really enjoyed being during certain months.

Or offer more - perhaps as much as 100K.I am sick with this mortgage company because of several issues ive had with this transaction and if I could cut them right out of the equation, I'd love to.

I've run the numbers several different ways and every way it  solid.