Looking for advice on saving towards purchasing a house while paying the least in capital gains tax.
I am thinking of investing a set monthly amount in index funds (as well as a few single stocks).
Once the investments have matured I will need to cash them out and put the money towards a house.
Is there any strategy to lower or prevent owing capital gains on the stocks?
I thought up a random strategy but I have no clue if it even makes sense -- Can I somehow cash out the stock investments and use that cash to purchase an investment property (avoiding capital gains somehow bec they're both investments?), refinance that property, use the refi money to purchase a house for myself, and then rent out the investment property to pay of the refi.
Or maybe simpler, take a margin loan against stocks, and use that money to buy a house and somehow have the loan get paid from the stocks which would avoid capital gains.
I have no clue if any of this makes sense, which is why I am asking for any advice or input. Thanks