If yu claim one it doesn't void the option to claim the other one.Provided you meet the IRS requirements for both, as a tax strategy, you could complete exclude a portion of capital gains under Section 121 and then defer the remaining capital gains under Section 1031 (@Dave Foster is a great resource for 1031 exchange). ..

The Seller has an emotional attachment to the house.

.: In a prior post from about 2 months ago, Kerry Malarkey and Nathan Gesner mentioned a small landlord is exempt from FHA requirements requiring the acceptance of emotional support & assistance animals if one of the following is true:"Owner-occupied buildings Properties with four units or fewer that are owned and lived in by the ownerSingle-family homes Homes that are sold or rented without a broker by the owner, as long as the owner doesn't own more than three at once" (Quote from Nathan's reply))https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/1219359-pitbu...Given this, if a landlord does qualify for the exemption, what exactly does this mean? 

Generalists tend to get erratic sales here and there.Residential working with home owners is more of an emotional component versus investors is more about the numbers.

I look at foreclosures.comOut of the 3 stages I am definitely not ready for an auctionpreclosure / short sales:- I need to research how to take over a deed / title- need to prepare how to do door knocking (I have a sales background and feel confident in dealing with an emotional conversation about someone’s home) - there IS a window of like 4 weeks that I need to prepare for (have my finances in order) to then bid before it goes to auction?

The recent period has been emotionally intense, marked by earnest discussions with investors navigating these very challenges.

No emotions... no arguments.... this is the lease conditions, this is the eviction process for not following the lease terms... that's it.... no emotion. 

It is about creating a balance between being open to new tenants and protecting your property interests diligently.By fostering a more secure leasing process, you can ensure that your properties remain profitable and that your relationships with genuine tenants are based on trust and reliability.

Quote from @Dave Foster: Excellent perspectives from different types of investors here. 

These I have found are real, striving parents, working their butts off to provide the best housing and school system for their children.My ethos in this approach is exactly why we at LaPlante refer to them as Residents, as we consider "Tenant and Landlord" to be dated terms and rife with negative emotion.