Start with the decision you need to make
A 1031 exchange into a triple net lease property is not one decision. It is a sequence: protect the deadline, choose the ownership path, screen the tenant and lease, compare the real estate, and identify properties that can actually close.
This router takes you directly to the Investment Grade research and tools that match your current decision. It is designed for investors considering direct NNN replacement property, comparing DST or UPREIT alternatives, or already working inside the 45-day identification window.
Are you already inside the 45-day window?
Yes—my relinquished property has closed. Start with the 1031 deadline calculator, then review the 45-day identification rule and the three identification rules.
I need replacement-property candidates now. Go directly to the 1031 replacement-property search.
No—I am preparing before a sale. Use the rental-property exit decision engine to compare keeping, refinancing, selling, direct NNN, DST and other paths before the clock begins.
Step 1: Confirm the exchange timeline
| Your question | Use this resource | What it helps you decide |
|---|---|---|
| When are my deadlines? | 1031 Deadline Calculator | Calculate the identification and closing dates from the transfer date. |
| What must happen by Day 45? | 1031 Exchange 45-Day Rule | Understand the identification deadline and why underwriting has to begin early. |
| How many properties can I identify? | Three-Property, 200% and 95% Rules | Compare the principal identification methods with your qualified intermediary and tax advisors. |
| When must the purchase close? | 1031 Exchange 180-Day Rule | Understand the outside closing period and tax-return-date interaction. |
| What if I buy before I sell? | Reverse 1031 Exchange Guide | Identify the additional structure and coordination questions a reverse exchange creates. |
Step 2: Choose the ownership path
The replacement asset should fit the investor, not merely the deadline. Direct NNN ownership preserves property-level control but concentrates attention on the exact real estate, lease obligor, guaranty and tenant. DST and UPREIT structures introduce different sponsor, control, fee, liquidity and future-exchange considerations.
| Decision | Go here |
|---|---|
| Direct NNN versus DST | Direct NNN vs DST in a 1031 Exchange |
| How a DST works | DST 1031 Exchange Educational Guide |
| After-tax direct-property versus DST comparison | DST vs Direct Property: After-Tax Comparison |
| 721 UPREIT versus direct replacement property | 721 UPREIT vs Direct 1031 Replacement Property |
Step 3: Screen the replacement property
A recognizable logo and a quoted cap rate are not enough. A direct NNN buyer must determine who signs the lease, whether a parent or another entity guarantees it, how much term remains, whether the rent is sustainable, and what the real estate is worth if the tenant leaves.
- Use the full screen: 1031 Replacement Property Checklist for NNN Buyers.
- Compare candidates consistently: How to Compare Two NNN Properties During the 45-Day Window.
- Do not chase yield blindly: Why Cap Rate Alone Can Mislead a 1031 Buyer.
- Verify the actual lease credit: The Logo Is Not the Credit.
Step 4: Choose the tenant and sector
Investment-grade ratings can strengthen an underwriting case, but the rating must apply to the correct legal entity and it does not replace lease or real-estate diligence. Use these pages to narrow the field before reviewing individual opportunities:
- Best Investment Grade NNN Tenants for a 1031 Exchange
- Best Investment Grade NNN Sectors for 1031 Replacement Buyers
- Investment Grade Credit Tenant Ratings and Profiles
- NNN Cap Rates 2026
Step 5: Resolve financing, boot and specialist questions
Investment Grade can help investors evaluate real estate, tenant credit, lease structure, market fit and transaction execution. A qualified intermediary, CPA and tax counsel should confirm how the exchange rules apply to the investor’s specific facts.
- Boot in a 1031 Exchange: Cash, Mortgage and Personal Property
- How to Choose a Qualified Intermediary
- 1031 Exchange Into Bonus-Depreciation NNN Property
- The CPA’s Guide to Investment Grade 1031 Exchanges
Your shortest path through the research
Preparing to sell: exit decision engine → complete 1031 guide → ownership-path comparison.
Inside Day 45: deadline calculator → identification rules → replacement-property checklist → compare candidates.
Choosing direct NNN: tenant and sector screens → lease-credit review → cap-rate discipline → property-specific diligence.
Ready to review opportunities: start the replacement-property search.
1031 NNN decision-router questions
No. This page organizes Investment Grade’s educational and real-estate-underwriting resources. A qualified intermediary, CPA and tax counsel should determine how Section 1031 and related rules apply to a specific exchange.
No. Buyers still need to verify the legal lease obligor, guaranty, lease term, rent, location, financing and residual real-estate value. A corporate rating is relevant only when it applies to an entity that actually supports the lease obligation.
Begin with the deadline calculator and identification rules, then use the replacement-property checklist to screen actual candidates. If the identification deadline is already running and opportunities are needed, use the replacement-property search page.
Educational scope: Investment Grade provides commercial real-estate and tenant-credit research. Exchange qualification, tax treatment, securities questions and legal consequences require review by the appropriate licensed professionals.