And if you file a joint tax return then you and your wife are the same tax payer.If that's true then you can sell as yourself and buy as your trust and her trust as tenants in common.

Use a JV agreement (joint venture).

We have filed jointly (California) since marriage. 

They can mail checks on a schedule or transfer funds via ACH, if that's an option.

Talk to your tax professional.Up to $500K (if filing taxes jointly) of capital gains from your primary residence are not taxed by the IRS.If the duplex is an investment property, you could 1031 that for another investment property (not a Primary residence).Depending on the amount of equity in your primary house, you could sell that, buy the lake property as an investment, move into the duplex for 2 yrs as your primary residence, sell it (assuming capital gains free), then move into the lake house for 2 yrs and repeat.

You can use a multi-tool to cut a slot all the way around the room to increase the expansion joint, just make sure the slot is smaller than the baseboard (or add shoe/1/4 round molding). 

As RE grows I'm wanting to do joint venture deals with friends and other like minded investors, can anyone list a structure or "book" that can be helpful on how to buy RE with other people involved.

There is a creek that runs through the back of his property.3) He wants to sell the BOTTOM HALF of his house (1bed/1bath) for $500k and is willing to carry the loan.4) Regarding the seller financing offer, he is open to negotiate price and interest rate.5) The deal would be done as a joint tennancy6) Whoever buys it from him will inherit his Prop. 13 taxes (about $300/month)7) The buyer would share water credits with himThe attractive part of this potential deal is that he has that MASSIVE backyard.

For your second property, if you will not live there, I’d consider other markets, with affordable homes, good employment and no rent control. https://moneywise.ca/a/ch-pms/...

I had refinanced my home and was aching to get another deal, but had my eyes on wanting a small multi-family property.