Weak Tenant Screening - This is one of the most expensive mistakes.

A weak deal just to defer taxes usually costs more long term.Also a 1031 exchange is only a deferral of taxes to a later period it does not eliminate them.From a tax standpoint, model both scenarios: sell and pay the tax vs. exchange.

What are their weaknesses?

In other words, if they are weak in one area, not a problem.

All that said, a good history of timely payments won't fully offset a high loan-to-value ratio or weak borrower credit.

One weak board or deferred maintenance cycle can change your expense structure overnight. 

That’s deterioration.When a tenant becomes chronically late, the issue is rarely one month.

In your experience, is it usually a staffing issue, lack of clear scopes and checklists, weak supervision, or something else?

A property that looks attractive on paper may be in a location that local investors typically avoid due to crime, weak rental demand or long vacancy periods.

Variable rate, callable, and psychologically heavy.That LOC is the weak link in your balance sheet.If you net $40k to $50k, you could:Option A.