{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”: [
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What are the tax benefits of investing in commercial real estate vs. residential?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Commercial real estate tax strategy in San Diego centers on cost segregation and bonus depreciation. While the 39-year depreciation life sounds worse than residential’s 27.5 years, commercial properties typically have more qualifying personal property and land improvements — meaning a larger percentage gets reclassified to 5, 7, or 15-year property in a cost segregation study. With permanent 100% bonus depreciation (OBBBA), this creates enormous first-year deductions. KDA’s San Diego commercial real estate CPA team will maximize your depreciation strategy.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How do I handle mixed-use property (part personal, part rental) for tax purposes?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Mixed-use property — where you use part of the property personally and rent out the rest — requires careful allocation of income and expenses between personal and rental use. The rental portion generates deductible expenses (mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, repairs, depreciation) proportional to the rental percentage. The personal portion is subject to the standard home mortgage interest and property tax deductions. For San Diego investors with ADUs, house hacking, or vacation homes with rental use, the allocation rules are complex. KDA’s team will calculate the optimal allocation and maximize your rental deductions.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is the difference between the STR loophole and Real Estate Professional Status?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The STR loophole is the ‘shortcut’ version of REPS for W-2 earners. REPS requires you to be a full-time real estate professional (750+ hours, majority of working time). The STR loophole only requires material participation in a specific short-term rental activity — which can be achieved with 100+ hours per year if no other person spends more time on the activity. Both strategies generate the same result: rental losses that offset active income. KDA’s San Diego team will determine which strategy fits your lifestyle and income profile.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is a real estate syndication and how is it taxed?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “A real estate syndication pools capital from multiple investors to purchase larger properties — apartment complexes, commercial buildings, industrial facilities — that individual investors couldn’t afford alone. Syndications are typically structured as LLCs or limited partnerships, with a general partner (the operator) and limited partners (the investors). Tax treatment: investors receive a K-1 showing their share of income, losses, depreciation, and other items. Passive losses from syndications are subject to passive activity rules — they can only offset passive income unless you qualify for REPS. KDA’s San Diego team advises both syndication operators and investors on tax optimization.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is an opportunity zone investment and how does it compare to a 1031 exchange?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The QOZ program and 1031 exchanges serve different purposes for San Diego real estate investors. A 1031 exchange defers capital gains from real estate sales indefinitely by reinvesting in like-kind property. A QOZ investment: (1) accepts any capital gain (not just real estate); (2) defers the original gain to 2026; (3) eliminates all appreciation in the QOZ fund after 10 years. The QOZ program is most powerful for investors with large gains from non-real estate assets who want to invest in real estate. KDA’s team will model the after-tax comparison for your specific situation.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What records should I keep for my rental properties?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Good records are your first line of defense in an IRS audit. For San Diego rental property owners, the most critical records are: basis documentation (to calculate gain on sale), depreciation schedules (to track accumulated depreciation and recapture), expense receipts (to support deductions), and time logs (for REPS or STR loophole claims). KDA’s real estate CPA team provides clients with a complete record-keeping framework and conducts annual reviews to ensure your documentation is audit-ready.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Can a real estate CPA help me if I only own one rental property?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Absolutely. Even a single rental property has significant tax complexity — depreciation schedules, repair vs. improvement rules, passive activity loss limitations, and state-specific filing requirements. KDA’s San Diego team works with single-property landlords and helps them build the right foundation for future growth, including entity structure and record-keeping systems that scale as your portfolio expands.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is a ground lease and how is it taxed?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “A ground lease is a long-term lease (typically 50–100 years) of land, where the tenant constructs and owns the improvements. For the landowner, ground lease income is taxed as ordinary rental income. The landowner does not depreciate the land (land is never depreciable) but can deduct expenses related to the lease. For the tenant (the developer), the improvements are depreciated over their useful life, and ground lease payments are deductible as rent. Ground leases are common in San Diego commercial real estate markets and can be an excellent passive income strategy for landowners. KDA’s team advises both ground lessors and lessees on tax optimization.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is the tax treatment of real estate options?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Real estate options are a sophisticated tool for San Diego investors that require careful tax planning. For the option holder: the premium is added to basis if exercised (no current deduction), or becomes a capital loss if the option lapses. For the option grantor: the premium is deferred until the option is exercised or lapses. If the option is exercised, the premium is added to the sale proceeds. If it lapses, the premium is recognized as income in the year of lapse. The character of the income (ordinary vs. capital) depends on whether the grantor is a dealer or investor. KDA’s team will structure your option transactions to achieve the optimal tax outcome.”
}
}, {
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What real estate deductions do most investors miss?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The most commonly missed deductions for San Diego real estate investors include: (1) home office deduction for managing your portfolio; (2) vehicle mileage for property visits, contractor meetings, and supply runs; (3) education expenses — real estate courses, books, and conferences; (4) professional development and subscriptions; (5) travel to inspect out-of-state properties; (6) cost segregation on properties owned for years (look-back studies); (7) repair vs. improvement elections under the safe harbor rules; and (8) depreciation on personal property used in rentals. KDA’s San Diego team conducts a full deduction audit for every new client.”
}
}
]
}