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Hi, that is great advise for someone who either wants to bank some investment property assets by living in their second home for two years or to retire and cash out.

My point was not about a sale for cashing out and avoiding income tax, but about the effects a sale would have on PROPERTY TAXES for someone under 55 compared to someone over 55.

I pay near 1k a year in property taxes.
If I sell my home and buy the same exact home elsewhere, my taxes will go from under 100 a month to well over 1,000 a month.

That is because if you are under 55, you have to start with the new cost of your home as the basis for your property tax. (I am way under 55)
If you are over 55 you can bring over your old tax basis up to sale price of that home in CA.
For the most part you can go from one country to another as well because of agreements between counties.

I dated an estate and tax gal and I have great friends who happen to be some of the premier estate and tax lawyers of CA, so for the most part I get to hear a lot about the dry stuff regarding laws and how the well informed can avoid taxes legally (to some point). :)

I enjoy and like my house, but with the existing laws I have to like somewhere else at a cost of 1k a month more to live every month. I'm too practical for that.