If I had an answer to my money issue then I would quickly pull the trigger on a good deal. 

My Wife and I are going to pull the trigger in 2025 and are looking in the Central PA area to buy our first STR.

However, to my understanding, a 1031 conversion of an investment property to your primary residence after a safe harbor of two years does not trigger a tax event.

  ( Maryland )  Small parking lot 12 cars plow and salt $450 . 2 in trigger Costs are regional for sure 

 I have been researching and browsing through bigger pockets and different real estate investment info but haven’t pulled the trigger on anything.

Once you find a good property and all the numbers make sense - pull the trigger.

Ensure that the mortgage is assumable, and confirm that there are no due-on-sale clauses that could trigger the full loan balance. 

Adding the ex to the title could trigger gift tax implications, so keeping it simple is best.

Selling your share at fair market value could avoid gift tax but may trigger capital gains tax for you based on the sale price and your cost basis.In California, the transfer may also trigger a property tax reassessment under Proposition 13 unless a specific exemption applies.

Tax StrategyWhile liquidating the brokerage account may trigger capital gains taxes, strategies like staggered withdrawals or tax-loss harvesting can help minimize the impact.