Play dumb, ask questions, and try to gain as much info as possible before choosing a contractor. 

However, purchasing the replacement property from an estate where your mother-in-law is the executor and other heirs are your wife's aunts and cousins raises potential related-party concerns under Section 1031(f).The IRS generally prohibits 1031 exchanges between related parties unless both the buyer and seller hold their respective properties for at least two years after the exchange.To stay compliant and avoid disqualification, ensure:The estate sells the property directly before any distributions to heirs.You hold the replacement property for at least two years.The transaction is conducted at fair market value with no prearranged agreements.Given the IRS scrutiny of related-party 1031 exchanges, consult a qualified CPA or 1031 exchange accommodator to structure the deal properly and avoid potential capital gains tax liabilities.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

– Considering Class A properties with established tenants• Less focus on appreciation – Prioritizing income stability over potential future gains Current Opportunity: I’m evaluating a retail property in downtown Portland with:• >80% occupancy, most tenants in place for 10+ years• Decent cap rate (6-7%), NNN lease• Well-maintained, high-quality building, with existing HOA which will take care of maintenance. 

With everything paid off, they’re looking to slow down but are hesitant to sell due to capital gains considerations.Purchase Price: $1,750,000.00Downpayment: $400,000.00 - Will do a 1031 - Selling two of my SF properties for the downpayment (bought for 120k + 146k back in 2017 & 2015). 

For the moment though, I am just trying to gain a more robust understanding of all things real estate that I could reasonably see in my future.  

This will allow you to split test the results with the agency and also gain experience with managing a team. 

Your net gain is your net sale, minus your adjust cost basis.

I'm still in the process of finding an alternative solution but I thought I'd leave this here as a warning for others looking to make a decision.For reference, I'll just post their email response to me here:As we review your inquiry, we would like to remind you of the following key points from our Terms of Use:In no instance shall ShinePay be liable for any of the following:"Lost revenue from service interruptions.Lost revenue stemming from delays, malfunctions of any product.unauthorized gains access to your account or due to shared passwords or if your password is hacked.Destruction to properly, places, or personal injury resulting from the installation, misinstalling, or misuse of any product.Lost revenue from entering the wrong account number for ACH or other bank transfer or money transfers or due to any delay in receiving funds.Damage to your structure, machines or car resulting from use or installation of our products.Any funds collected that are paid to a person that does not own the property.Any harm from defeating the lock and technology that controls the lock to a device.Failure to properly service any product or machine."

Quote from @Shaun Ortiz: Hi Jason,Thanks for sharing your journey—it sounds like you’ve gained some invaluable insights from your experiences, even with the squirrel tenants (that’s definitely a story!).

My main goals with these initial projects are:1.Gaining valuable insights into the local market.2.Getting hands-on experience with out-of-state investing, particularly when it comes to remodels and managing from afar.3.Testing the entire BRRRR process to see if it’s the right strategy for me long-term.If all goes well, I’d love to scale up and explore multi-family projects.