You can 1031 exchange from the DST back into real property once the DST sells.

Im not going big, but I should be able to hold it for a few years until the market comes back.

I bought a rental duplex in Lakewood, Ohio for 250k back in 2021 when I was living in Cleveland.

-If you do a long term rental, how do you pay back the hard money lender/private lender (if you use one)?

In the end, neither turned into a problem.

In the end, I have come to the realization that I probably should've been 1031ing them all along though. 

Giving me the opportunity to better provide for my family and give back to my local community!

I ended up doing it myself but if/when I want to build it out further I will lean on one of those contractors.

It is our personal house and we're in the process of moving back to the east coast (New England area) to a higher COL area.

In practice, it makes the tenant view you as weak and so they will come back for more an more until you say "no" to something and then you are the evil, greedy landlord AND as a bonus let's rile up the whole building.