Here's what you need to explore beyond the loan assumption issue:1.

I’m exploring the option of investing with NT Capital Group.  

Local real estate investor groups, as @Andrew Postell mentioned, are probably the best place to find reputable private lenders near you, or at least a referral to one.Local REIA events, meetups, etc.

I am in the Boone, Blowing Rock area and we have definitely been seeing an uptick of visitors and Airbnb's- especially since 2020.The Boone TDA rebranded as Explore Boone to try to have a bigger presence and I think they have been trying to expand on the tourism and travel to reach other more urban cities in NC.

After the closing we rented the property for about 7 months, now we want to explore short term vacation rental options but still want to follow all the rules within the exchange.

There are people who facilitate this type of exchange, with a reputable syndication. 

Quote from @Naji Ray: Find a reputable collection agency, give it to them, and then expect that you'll never get paid.

The school district's reputation. 

My finances were in order so I had no issues there, but they don't always have the best reputation among sellers agents so I found it tough to find a property to get under contract. 

Just find one, then another and another until I’ve built up that reputation?