Can You Exchange a Hotel for a Restaurant with a 1031?

A 1031 exchange is a useful way for investors to defer capital gains taxes while reinvesting their proceeds. In order to carry out the exchange in a proper manner you will need to make sure that your replacement property is of “like kind.” Seeing that a 1031 exchange is also called a “Like-Kind Exchange,” it is reasonable to assume that it is very important to ensure that the new property is of like kind. But what does like kind mean in regard to a 1031?

Like kind essentially means that the replacement property must be used for investment purposes only. Primary residences do not qualify. A replacement property can be any type of real estate as long as it is being used for investment purposes. You can exchange a hotel for a restaurant. A warehouse for a farm. Even oil and gas interests for a single-family home.