If I still pay $100,000 and ask the seller to pay $3000 in closing costs, that is not a taxable event"I'd be interested in hearing your support for these positions Greg, please feel free to cite your sources.If we use that line of logic, a worker for a car dealership can request a down-payment on a new car instead of compensation, and not have to pay any taxes. 

So, in these cases, having two agents is normal.

I read somewhere I could 1031 the portion of the property that I’m renting (ADU), and pay capital gains tax as normal on the portion I’m living in?

Is this normal to not see a single potential property in 2 weeks?

It could be sketchy, but it could also be 100% normal.

I think they more or less are living there, but proving that is another matter, as they are claiming they live with a different relative, but their cars are often at my apartment building.

BUT we normally tell clients for the back of the napkin number to use $122 per sq ft.

How can they tap into their equity and live a normal life?

Judges are not as tenant friendly and you can expect a normal eviction time frame.

I'm taking bids for a detached 2 car garage apartment in the Houston heights and am having a hell of a time finding a good contractor with a reasonable bid.