Practice, practice, practice.Also, be careful asking for investor-friendly agents!

I told Dr Margolis that if he wanted to get the lead poisoning rates down from 17% they should practice targeted selection, using the housing condition data collected and GIS data; they should select all properties rated in poor condition with children under 6 living in the home.   

Also start running numbers to practice.

Drop-and-swap can work, but it’s one of those strategies where execution and timing really matter, and it’s not something I’d treat as a default solution—especially for a first 1031.A few high-level points I’ve seen in practice (not tax advice):The IRS scrutiny risk usually comes down to holding period and intent.

Mine is practically fully renovated (did it myself over time while living here) as in fully tiled bathrooms, huge master bedroom/bath, refinished original hardwood floors, kitchen cabinets with plenty of granite countertop space, stainless steel appliances, etc.

Over the past few years, I’ve been intentionally studying real estate through books, podcasts, and hands-on learning, and I’m committed to building a solid foundation before scaling.I currently own one rental property, which has helped me gain practical experience with ownership, tenants, and cash flow.

Other times, they realize the property requires more operational energy than they want to give long-term.One practical approach is to wait until:Repairs are completeInsurance is settledThe property is stabilizedThen make the decision from a clear head, not from the middle of chaos.Selling isn’t quitting.

The key is documented material participation by the owner, not the manager.In practice the manager handles day-to-day ops (cleaning, maintenance, guest comms).

Here’s a quick, practical comparison:RentRediPros: Very user-friendly, good tenant portal, maintenance tracking, affordable.Cons: Limited accounting and reporting as you scale.Best for smaller portfolios or simple ops.BuildiumPros: Strong accounting, owner statements, solid maintenance workflow.Cons: More complex than RentRedi, less “lightweight.”Good middle ground for growing portfolios.AppFolioPros: Robust automation, strong mobile tools, great for larger ops.Cons: Higher cost, more features than some need.Best for larger or fast-scaling portfolios.If you’re outgrowing RentRedi, most people step up to Buildium (or Rentec Direct) before jumping to AppFolio.

I have been trying to analyze listings on the market as a start to practice.