I could claim I overpaid at $800k and I shouldn't be punished tax-wise for overpaying but I have no numbers to back up a claim that the house should be assessed lower than $800k. 

  ABSOLUTELY NOT  1031 has time restrictions to identify and purchase like kind and typically you'll  buy a more valuable and thus more expensive Rev gen property to avoid the punishing penalties paid on the Boot( cash in ha d because you selected an exchange property that was fewer dollars than The sale price of last property go to irs site and read sec 1031 it's been there a hundred years it's really clear 

Legislation is coming down the pipe that will punish the many of us because of the greed of a few.

., You'd think the IRS would consider getting married to be punishment enough :)

Tenants that do not pay their own utilities are extremely irresponsible and can/will abuse utilities to punish landlords.

If you had nothing to do with it then the punishment (if any) will likely be limited to the PM.

I've heard about Goldman Sachs and other large institutions buying thousands of loans and holding on to them (punishment for the its role in packaging and selling toxic mortgage-backed securities in the housing meltdown).

Stay laser focused on the best deal available right now ( or continue to save - patience is usually rewarded in the real estate game and haste can be punished severely).1031 is for investment. 

Is is very easy to reduce or eliminate expesnses as well as risk when renting out a property.As investors we should always be looking into ways to eliminate risk as well as expenses.The first is to find a great not a good attorney a great one to handle evictions.When renting out cover your risks up front with huge deposits.don't rent to anyone your not 100 percent sure will care for the home and at the first sign of nonpayment of rent or not caring for the property give notice follow the rules and evict.If you give an inch to renters they will take a mile.You must not tolerate anything from your renters they are like small childern or puppies, always testing to see what they can get away with.If you let your puppy pee on the rug without punishment then it will get worse every time he gets away with it.If your renter is late serve a three day pay or quit immediately do not delay a minute......show them your serious about following the law and that you know what your doing.

`(ii) PENALTIES- `(I) FALSE STATEMENT- Any certification filed pursuant to clause (i) shall contain an acknowledgment that any willful false statement made in such certification is punishable under section 1001, of title 18, United States Code, by fine or imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both.