With proper tax planning you can exchange through life, die and NEVER pay tax.

Buy the house and give her a life estate in the property.3.

you should buy based on your life circumstances and not what the market is doing....if you buy it now you can live in it and enjoy the home vs. having to rent....real estate always appreciates in the long term so if you hold it it will go up.There will be a time to buy but it may not be for years to come.

I spent 4 years as a union carpenter My dad was always telling me to think about RE it was a life long dream of his that he was never able to do.

make it your part of your life.

RE investing can be started at any point in your life so it could be a perfect way forward.If you can find really good deals (more or less implied earlier) then wholesale them for short term cash.

However if your physical appearance is one thing you are not comfortable with then changing it could boost your confidence in all facets of your life.

I have been in construction all my life and decided I should be doing this fo myself and making more money and having a future.

Even in my area I hear it all the time......bought high, financed 100% plus, and now they can't make the payment...Sad, but thats life.

Makes a lot more sense.Interesting he defaults on a 160k mortgage on a 490k house, and resorts to needing a life boat.