Having partners complicates things as the buying entity for the replaxememt property typically has to be the same as the selling entity.Two basic rules for the 1031....ALL proceeds must be reinvestedThe purchase price of the replacement property must be equal to or greater than the sale price of the initial property(less actual selling costs)@Dave Foster knows all this stuff, and any possible exemptions.

To make it more complicated I have 5 different management companies.

There is also the privacy part, but its going to get more complicated and possibly expensive if you are just self managing.

I have seen that technique used quite a bit 

And now that money invests in real estate notes, tax-deferred until I'm old and gray (and it is far less complicated than owning real estate directly).

I don't use them I'm not to familiar with their 'techniques'.

Less complicated and less risky.

Definitely helpful to know it's more complicated than just "cash is king."

So is wholesaling a hard process to get into or am I just making it way more complicated thinking about it in my head ?

Regardless though, they are both obviously under HOAs which can complicate things (it has for me).