So you’re doing a 1031 exchange. Maybe you’re cashing out of a high value coastal rental, maybe you’re trading up from a property you’ve held for years. Either way, you’ve got a problem the tax code created for you: 45 days to identify your replacement property and 180 to close, and if you miss it, you owe every dollar of deferred tax. (Need the rules first? Start with our multifamily...

You bought a multifamily property. You’re collecting rent, building equity, and watching your tenants pay down the loan every month. Good, it is working! But here’s a question most investors never stop to ask: are you actually using the single biggest tax benefit your real estate hands you every year? Because the truth is, the depreciation on your tax return is probably stuck in slow motion — the...

You just sold a multifamily property — or you’re about to — and the closing statement looks great until your CPA brings up the tax bill. Between federal capital gains, depreciation recapture, the 3.8% net investment income tax, and your state’s cut, you can hand back a brutal slice of your gain. Here’s the move that lets you keep all of it working instead: the 1031 exchange. Done right, you roll...

If you asked a real estate investor in Toronto, London, Sydney, or Munich what they wish they could borrow from the U.S. investment playbook, the list would be surprisingly long. Many assume the rules they operate under are simply how real estate investing works everywhere. They're not. The United States has built one of the most investor-friendly real estate systems in the world, offering tax strategies,...

Fair warning: this one gets a little technical. Stick with it, because the payoff is one of the most underrated numbers in all of real estate. We’re talking about the tax benefit of owning rental property — and once it clicks, you’ll see why, at least in the near term, it can dwarf what you earn in cash flow and even what you earn in appreciation. Start with the baseline Even if you never do...

Top Ten Landlord-Friendly States in 2026 (and the Top Ten Working Against You) Holding real estate is a great way to both preserve and grow wealth. But if you're going to do this, you want to do it in a place where, 1. the real estate holds its value, and 2. while you're holding the real estate, it's actually easy for you to own it. One thing that really makes a difference for landlords and property...

Why Buy Real Estate in Kansas City? Kansas City has been a center of commerce and growth since America’s frontier days—and today, it’s one of the most compelling cities in the U.S. for real estate investors and rental property owners. With a central location, diverse economy, relatively affordable housing prices, and landlord-friendly laws, the Kansas City Metro stands out as livable city with...

Lutz Q4 2025 Lender Rate Survey: Local Bank Responses to the Fed's Recent Rate Cut Fall is here, and with it comes the final push of 2025—83 days left to lock in deals before the year closes. As investors, this is a prime time to capitalize on market shifts, especially with the Federal Reserve's recent 0.25% rate cut influencing borrowing costs. At Lutz Sales + Investments, we work closely with local...

Most landlords who discover cost segregation have the same two-part reaction. First, excitement: a study can front-load years of depreciation into a single year and throw off a six-figure paper loss. Then, deflation — their CPA explains that the loss is “passive,” so it can’t touch their W-2, their business income, or their capital gains. Here’s the good news. There’s a key that unlocks that...

Cost segregation studies can save real estate investors thousands of dollars a year on their tax bill, even for smaller properties. But there are some important things to know to ensure you maximize your deduction and don't run afoul of the IRS.  We use DIY cost segregation but there are other companies who do cost segs, take a look and feel free to use whatever company you’d...