A 1031 exchange does not obviate the need for a realtor. Quite to the contrary, in most cases an Exchanger has an even greater need for a realtor due to the time constraints placed on Exchangers.
While it may be tempting to ask your CPA to act as your Qualified Intermediary, a CPA cannot facilitate a 1031 exchange between investors. Under IRC Section 1031 guidelines, CPAs, attorneys, investment bankers, and real estate agents/brokers fall under the 'agent' category.
In New York, property types eligible for a 1031 exchange must be like-kind, which generally means both the relinquished and replacement properties should be used for business or investment purposes. Both properties must be within the United States.
What Is a Qualified Intermediary? Qualified Intermediary (QI) is someone a property seller selects to oversee the 1031 exchange process and its funds. They hold the funds from the previous property and use them to acquire the new replacement property to ensure compliance with IRS regulations.
A Qualified Intermediary, or QI, is an independent third party to the transaction whose function is to prepare the documents necessary to create the exchange, as well as to act as the independent escrow agent for the exchange funds.
If during the current tax year you transferred property to another party in a like-kind exchange, you must file Form 8824 with your tax return for that year. Also file Form 8824 for the 2 years following the year of a related party exchange. See Line 7, later, for details. Section 1031 regulations.
Lack of Liquidity- Exchanging properties continually can tie up funds in real estate, making it hard for an investor to access liquid capital if required. While real estate can be a profitable investment, it's not as liquid as some other assets.
How to Do a 1031 Exchange Choose a qualified intermediary to coordinate the exchange. Sell your current real estate property. You have 45 days to identify potential replacement properties. You have 180 days to close on a replacement property. File IRS Form 8824.
While an investor can choose which property to sell (exchange) and identify replacement properties, the investor/taxpayer may not control or have access to the funds in between those two events. For that reason, the use of a qualified intermediary is necessary.