A syndication that's suggesting or even worse is  promising an 18% annualized return for a 2- year investment period will be reliant on a realization event or will over raise equity and use the over raised equity as distributions.

Not a financial suggestion. 

If I get the cancelled dates rebooked, then I refund half and offer a standing credit of the other half for whenever they book in the future! 

This is 100x more true if the property is in a C or D area.I'd suggest reading up on the topic on the forums, where you'll find many examples of inexperienced investors crashing and burning hard trying to do OOS REI...the story is usually the same--they had no experience with REI, they couldn't find any cashflowing properties locally, but they saw that properties in other states (often the Midwest) cashflowed well on paper.

If you are in a community property state, there may be more of a basis to stand on that this would NOT reset your 2 year holding requirements.

Standing out is key, so maybe this is more of a question for a design/creative type.

Does anyone know if these rules still stand with new CA state laws?

Any thoughts or suggestions?  

Some have suggested a postnup to clearly document the downpayment is a gift and not part of community property.  

I bought a place there on the water for “the summers” but I can’t stand summer there with the humidity and more, and I grew up there.