Rental property is income-producing property and, if you're in the trade or business of renting real property, report the loss on the sale of rental property on Form 4797, Sales of Business Property. Normally, you transfer the loss as an ordinary loss to line 4 of Schedule 1 and attach it to Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return or Form 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors. If your rental activity doesn't rise to the level of a trade or business, but instead is held for investment or for use in a not-for-profit activity, the loss is a capital loss. Report the loss on Form 8949, Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets in Part I (if the transaction is short term) or Part II (if the transaction is long term). If your capital losses are more than your capital gains, you can deduct the difference as a capital loss deduction even if you don’t have ordinary income to offset it. The yearly limit on the amount of the capital loss you can deduct is $3,000 ($1,500 if you are married and file a separate return). Normally, you transfer the capital loss to line 7 of Form 1040 or 1040-SR. See the Instructions for Form 8949 PDF, the Instructions for Form 4797 PDF and the Instructions for Schedule D (Form 1040) PDF.