Very simply, large corporations pay into the tax base of that local community and that revenue is used to improve the community and make it a more attractive place for people to live.

Sometimes they forget to tell you that many tenants in Detroit don't pay (depending on the property manager skill and the type of tenant) - but taxes are very high in the city and so is insurance. 

Take the tax free sec 121 first and then 1031 the leftover.

I'm not motivated, but the homes needed work I didn't want to do or I did if for strategic tax or debt shell game reasons.

In order to defer all tax you must purchase at least as much as your net sale ($500K ish). 

That alone can kill a deal due to over the Max DTI limit.A cash out refinance is tax free and its an immediate liquid reserve so it can be used as an Asset or PITI reserves.

A 1031 exchange would use all of the tax in the purchase of your next property.

In US tax law, the depreciable lifespan of an asset is defined by its MACRS classification which stands for “Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System.”Under MACRS, depreciable assets are assigned to different classes, with each class having a specific recovery period.

But the answer for everyone may differ.Here are the personal attributes I see in those able to achieve a higher than market ROI, enough higher to be able to “scale”.1- Knowledge of real estate principles, real estate law and real estate finance2- Minimum 3 -5 years full time, or near full time experience directly related to real estate investing3- Ability to utilize technology for increased efficiency, capacity, and accuracy4- Excellent hired legal counsel and excellent hired marketing help5- Established method(s) of obtaining consistently high QUALITY deal flow6- Ability to manage and choose people who are NOT employees: Attorneys, Appraisers, Mortgage Brokers, Real Estate Brokers, Title Companies, Surveyors, Marketing Specialists, Accountants, Contractors, Consultants, Property Managers7- A VERIFIABLE track record of success8- Ability to identify, analyze, and negotiate a deal that can be “worked” for “enhanced” ROI9- Some type of competitive advantage; for example for me it’s my ability to analyze and identify mortgage loans that are actually less risky than all other lenders believe (on the investing in debt side), and on the real property side it’s my ability to analyze”pull the trigger” with LESS information than other investors need,  combined with the ability to pay cash, or raise significant capital almost instantly as well as being able to obtain loans at the lowest prime customer bank rate with no recourse or personal liability.  

Note - if you live in your property for 2 years out of the last 5, then you don’t pay taxes on the profit.