I haven't lived in it long enough to be exempt from capital gains, good point on that.

It is a great tool for investors who have capital gains.

You’ve received some great responses full of valuable information, but I believe you may be missing the BEST market.  

Use depreciation on rental properties to reduce taxes further, and consider 1031 exchanges to defer capital gains taxes.

Hi John, would you be interested in the Lake Lanier areas in GA in Hall or Forsyth counties?  

- If so, 1031 into something bigger and easier to manage and then when you pass, the inheritor receives your property(s) at a stepped up basis - subject to Inheritance Tax limits.Otherwise, sell one every 1-5 years when you need the cash, so you can plan expenses to offset capital gains.

*As a side note, I think maybe it would be fun also to try and identify where new technology or machine-learning driven approaches could increase efficiency in the spaceAs for my financial situation, personally, I have around 50k saved but 20k of it is tied up in assets I don't want to pay capital gains tax on.

However, I don't find the long vacancy particularly enjoyable, and I'm hoping to gain some insight and grow from the experience.Has anyone else experienced this, and what did you do to avoid it?

It’s a smart move, especially since it ties in with your goal of saving for your first investment.For skills, you probably already have a good foundation with your sales experience—things like communication, organization, and dealing with clients are all super valuable.

The West and South posted more modest gains of 6.9% and 0.5%.