Having your LLC sue you is not going to work as the claim would be excluded under Exclusion 3(a). 

We did many months of walking around down there every weekend and learning the developments and rental exclusion areas and the builders and such. 

Good news, you've lived there long enough to qualify for the Section 121 exclusion, which means you'll be able to write off *almost* all the capital gains taxes.Since you're renting it out now, be sure to depreciate the unit - the Government will assume you did anyway.

You can always get a good sense just by comparing online advertising on zillow.com, craigslist, or even the newspaper.

@Carrie MimsMost investors, unless very experienced, concentrate almost exclusively on some method of measuring return on investment, i.e., cap rate, Internal rate of return, discounted cash flow.

He had a "contractor" that he'd been working with for years, and who he exclusively used for all of our jobs.

Everything they have set up as far their website and technology is not exclusive to them either.

Are they a exclusion, or inclusion type company. 

Also, since I'm using the personal residence exclusion on the personal portion of the duplex, am I prohibited from using a 1031 exchange on the rental portion?  

I'm targeting a list of fire-damaged properties exclusively and this information definitely helps.