3 rental homes paid off. What's the next step up?

[David Osborn]

I have 3 homes I bought in 2011. They are worth 200k, 300k, and 260k respectively. I get $900, $1000, and $900 in rents after all is said and done.

I am set to retire in a year and looking to 1031 exchange these homes.

3 questions;

1. Can I sell three separate SFH in that time-frame and then roll it into an apartment complex for example?

2. Should I be looking at Apartment complexes? I really don't like the headache of tenants. 

3. Where in California do you think I could look to maximize my returns? It feels like I'm getting ridiculously low amounts of of my hard work overtime I paid those homes off with over the past few years. 

Thanks for any guidance!