Tap into the local investor meeting groups....there are some really good ones here....and network like crazy.  

HOWEVER, there isn't, legally speaking, any specific length of time that you have to hold the property.

These are more complex legal structures that can provide even more protection than a traditional LLC alone.

@Ryan Faheybottom line:  legal entities are NOT eligible for conforming residential loans. 

@Raj G. this is a pretty specific question, you are essentially asking for legal advice.

But when 300 wholesalers send you mailers every month, 24 cold calls, and 14 texts, every single week, it just adds up.It being "legal" doesn't make it "OK" to pester people either right?

I am on the board of CFRI, the local chapter of the National REIA, that would be a great place to meet other local investors, vendors and trades.

Should I continue the traditional agency road map or am I missing some other strategy that might help get the knowledge and experience needed to meet both objectives?

Regarding preapproval, I am in the process of meeting with lenders, what I've been doing is having an initial conversation to ask questions and get more info on them, explaining to them that I will not be seeking preapproval until the end of March, as my real estate hunt begins April 1st (no joke).

We are renting the property now and I know we have to meet the 1031 guidelines to do the exchange.The motivation for the sale is he needs care right now and I would like to have a larger more functional house available for him to be cared for.Maybe there is another method to minimize capital gains taxes that make it easier to sell and keep the property 19 tax base ?