"A refi to facilitate the buyout between Mom and Dad incident to divorce would not increase basis"

But she didn't own it prior to the divorce. I was trying to incorporate this: "Dad on title only in 1962, mom not on title
- 1989, mom and dad got divorced, as part of settlement, mom got house.. dad removed from deed, so mom sole owner in 1989."

Dad removed from title. Mom got the house, but never was on the title. So, now it depends on the legal ownership for the State, when the couple married, but the title never changed.

If it included financing along with the change of title, it might be that she bought the house at this point.

This project is step-by-step, and every step matters.