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Wierd Real Estate Sale


Max W

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Clients sold an investment property that had needed a remodel.  They hired some flaky contractor and promised that part of the payment would be a small percent from the sale of the property.   Unbeknownst to the clients. there were liens against the contractor.   With the contractor now on title to the property, the lien holder filed liens on the clients property.

When the property finally sold, the contractors liens were paid off.   Can these liens be deducted as a selling expense?

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It sounds to me like the contractor's portion of the proceeds would include the liens that were paid off rather than treating them as an expense of the sale.  So your client would report the sale proceeds that he received, and if the 1099S was issued solely in his/her name would report a nominee amount to the contractor of the proceeds that the contractor received either in the form of cash or as payment of liens against the contractor.  Not sure I am stating that clearly.

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Just now, Pacun said:

It seems to be simple as Danrvan has said.

Cost of the house =300K
Improvments= 10K cash given to contractor plus liens paid which total $100K
Adjusted basis to the house $410K

Selling price $700K
selling cost $20K
Profit $270K.

1099 to the contractor = $110K. if improvements were only $50k, then client should have an unforseen loss of $60K... and I guess that's why the question was posted. 

The tricky part is if the contractor didn't do any improvements but rather only repairs.

 

 

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47 minutes ago, Pacun said:

The tricky part is if the contractor didn't do any improvements but rather only repairs.

It will either be an expense to sell or addition to basis, but the net will be the same since the property was held for investment.

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