Real Estate Construction and Rehabilitation Tax Incentives Act of 1981

Real Estate Construction and Rehabilitation Tax Incentives Act of 1981 - Title I: Capital Cost Recovery Treatment of New Section 1250 Property - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require a 20- year straight line depreciation of depreciable real property placed into service after the effective date of this Act. Provides transitional rules for property already in service. Requires a 12-year straight line depreciation of low-income housing and a 16-year straight line depreciation of rehabilitated residential rental property.

Title II: Increase in Investment Tax Credit for Rehabilitated Structures - Increases from ten to 25 percent the investment tax credit for qualified rehabilitated buildings.

Title III: Deduction of Construction Period Interest and Taxes - Repeals current provisions requiring the amortization of construction period interest and taxes. Allows the taxpayer to elect: (1) to treat the unamortized balance of such interest and taxes as chargeable to capital account; or (2) to deduct such unamortized balance for taxable year 1981.

Title IV: Extension and Expansion of Existing Incentives - Repeals the expiration dates for Code provisions which: (1) permit rapid amortization of rehabilitation expenses for low-income rental housing; (2) prohibit accelerated depreciation for new structures built on historic sites; (3) provide for favorable depreciation of rehabilitated historic property; (4) encourage the removal of architectural barriers; and (5) prohibit deductions for the demolition of historic structures.

Provides for rapid amortization of rehabilitation expenses for all residential rental housing (currently such rapid amortization is limited to low-income rental housing). Increases: (1) from $3,000 to $5,000 the minimum depreciable per unit expenditure; and (2) from $20,000 to $30,000 the maximum depreciable per unit expenditure. Requires that the amount of such rapid amortization treated as a tax preference shall not exceed the amount which would have been a tax preference item if computed under the double declining balance method.

Title V: Removal of Impediments to New Real Property Development - Exempts depreciable real property from the limitation on the deduction of investment indebtedness interest for individuals.

States that for purposes of the amortization of startup expenditures the business beginning of real estate development activities is the date on which construction activity commences.

Permits the exclusion from gross income of interest on certain industrial development refunding bonds if the proceeds of the refunded issue are used to provide residential real property for family units or to remove existing first liens on rehabilitation property. Allows income tax deductions for business expenses related to the rental of a residence to a family member of the taxpayer if such family member pays a fair rental and uses such residence as the principal place of residence.

Specifies that the energy investment credit shall be available for low-income rental housing and residential rental property.

Title VI: Effective Dates - States that the amendments made by this Act shall be effective upon enactment.