MLS 2170003

MLS 2170003

When does an investment become a second home?

 

Feb. 20, 2017 – Question: My primary residence is in Florida. I have owned and rented a condo in Hawaii since 2004. If I stopped renting the condo and lived in it for half the year, would my condo be considered a second home? Would there be tax consequences? – Name not provided

Answer: If you lived in the condo half the year and no longer rented it, it would be a second home. You could deduct any mortgage interest and real estate taxes paid on the condo as part of your itemized deductions. You should maintain the depreciation schedule for your records because when you sell the property, depreciation factors can reduce your cost basis.

When you sell a rental property at a loss, you can deduct the loss. When you sell a second home, the loss is considered personal and is not deductible. In both cases, a gain on the sale would be taxable. – Paula Taylor

© 2017 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.); Paula Taylor, CFP, contributes to the Orlando Sentinel's Ask an Expert series. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.