Yes I think it will make sense to just pay the tax as I believe I misunderstood netting the gains. For example if gains on real estate would be 100k (accounting for deductions/adjusted basis), the total gain tax would be 20k (15% federal + 4-5% state). A 20k stock loss would not eliminate that gains tax but make my net gains 80k, reducing the tax to 16k, essentially reducing my tax by 4k while losing 20k.
