sale of foreign real estate

[tax1111]

Taxpayer sold her investment property (not rental property) in foreign country with a gain over $1mil. She paid to the foreign country capital gain tax 5%

Please help with following questions:

1. besides original purchase price, renovation costs, selling expenses, what are some other gain reduction options? Is flight tickets to the foreign country to sell the property deductible? how about building insurance, HOA, maintenance fee, etc. I understand that these seems to be nondeductible for non-rental investment property. But just to make sure if there is any exceptions. 

The building insurance is a mandatory fee to property owners by the government. Does that make any difference?

2. taxpayer sold all her appliance, furniture within the house to the house buyer. Can any of these personal property's cost be included in the real property sold?

Thank you!