Here Are 2 Great Tax Tips For U.S. Consumers

As a practicing residential Realtor and Selling Agent there were always 2 Tax Tips that I provided my real estate buyers with. I would like to share them with you because they enabled me to list and sell a lot more real estate and provide my buyers with a much higher level of home buying service, disclosure, and protection.

Tax Tip #1:   Gross And Net Monthly Mortgage Payment Concept

As a Real Estate Selling Agent, I always made my buyers aware of what their maximum “gross” and net” monthly mortgage payments would be. By gross I mean monthly mortgage payments without federal tax refunds and by net I mean monthly mortgage payments after receiving federal tax refunds. Let me give you an example of what I mean.

Mathematical Example Of Gross And Net Monthly Mortgage Payment Concept

Let’s assume a real estate buyer’s gross total monthly mortgage payments of principle, interest, and property taxes is ($2,000). After deducting mortgage interest and property taxes let’s assume the buyers would receive a ($6,000) federal tax refund check. If you divide the ($6,000) refund check by (12) the monthly federal tax refund equals ($500) per month. If you subtract the ($500) from the ($2,000) the home buyer’s net monthly mortgage payment is really only ($1500).

Benefits Of Educating Buyers About The Gross And Net Monthly Mortgage Payment Concept

Educating my real estate buyers, whether they were purchasing real estate for the first time, second time, third time, or fourth time, about this Gross and Net Monthly Mortgage Payment Concept always made them: 1) feel much more comfortable about buying real estate both financially and psychologically, and 2) trust and respect me even more thus making them more committed to doing business with me.

When I Made Buyers Aware Of The Gross And Net Monthly Mortgage Payment Concept

I potentially made my real estate buyers aware of this Gross and Net Monthly Mortgage Payment Concept, at the following times, during the entire home buying process.

1.   During the Buyer Pre-qualification Session and before showing homes

2.   Prior to making an initial offer on any piece of real estate

3.   During each stage of the offer negotiation process

4.   At the conclusion of a successful offer negotiation process

5.   At the signing of Agreements of Sale

7.   Prior to final settlement

8.   At final settlement

Real Estate Buyers And Real Estate And Mortgage Licensees Should Consult With Financial Advisors

For further information and advice pertaining to this Gross and Net Monthly Mortgage Payment Concept I would strongly recommend that home buyers, real estate licensees, and mortgage licensees consult with CPA’s, accountants, tax attorneys, and other types of financial advisors. 

Tax Tip #2:   Increase Weekly Dependents Or Decrease Quarterly Estimates

As a Real Estate Selling Agent, I always made my buyers aware that they had the right to potentially “increase” the number of their weekly dependents if salaried and “decrease” the amount of their quarterly estimates if independent contractors when purchasing real estate. Accomplishing this enabled them to obtain a Pay Raise Without Receiving An Actual Pay Raise.  Let me give you a Mathematical Example of what I mean. 

Mathematical Example Of Pay Raise Without Receiving An Actual Pay Raise Concept

Let’s assume that real estate buyers, as a result of purchasing real estate, anticipate receiving potentially a $6,000 federal tax refund check due to property tax, mortgage interest, and other types of acceptable tax deductions.  In cases like this I educated my buyers that they could potentially “increase” the number of their weekly exemptions if salaried or “decrease” the amount of their quarterly estimates if independent contractors.  Why?  Because this would enable them to bring home “some” or “all” of their projected $6,000 refund on either a weekly or quarterly basis.

By “increasing” the number of weekly dependents, salaried buyers could bring home an extra $500 per month thus enabling them to receive their $6,000 refund in weekly increments over the course of a year as opposed to getting it in one lump sum at the end of the year.

By “decreasing” their quarterly estimates, independent contractor buyers could keep an extra $1500 per quarter thus receiving their $6,000 refund in quarterly increments over the course of a year as opposed to getting it in one lump sum at the end of the year.

These scenarios are exactly what I mean when I say that real estate buyers are in a position to give themselves a Pay Raise Without Receiving An Actual Pay Raise.  By the way, if all Americans applied the knowledge of these scenarios, the government of the United States would probably go broke or have to print zillions of dollars more.  Do you know why?

Times When I Made Buyers Aware Of The Pay Raise Without Receiving An Actual Pay Raise Concept

I potentially made my real estate buyers aware of my Pay Raise Without Receving An Actual Pay Raise Concept at the following Times during the entire home buying process.

1.   During the Buyer Pre-qualification Session and before showing homes

2.   Prior to making an initial offer on any piece of real estate

3.   During each stage of the offer negotiation process

4.   At the conclusion of a successful offer negotiation process

5.   At the signing of Agreements of Sale

1. 6.  If sale price or mortgage amount changed, after Agreements of Sale had been signed, as a result of appraisal, home inspection, township inspection, pest control inspection, environmental inspection, pre-settlement inspection, etc. type problems developing

7.   Prior to final settlement

8.   At final settlement

Real Estate Buyers, Real Estate Licensees And Mortgage Licensees Should Consult With Financial Advisors

For further information and advice pertaining to my Pay Raise Without Receiving An Actual Pay Raise Concept I would strongly recommend that home buyers, real estate licensees, and mortgage licensees consult with CPA’s, accountants, tax attorneys, and other types of financial advisors. 

The best time for real estate buyers to know what their potential Tax Benefits, from purchasing and owning real estate, will be and “when” and “how” to get them is prior to signing Agreements Of Sale, making final settlement and taking title, not afterwards.  Hopefully a word to the wise will prove to be sufficient.

Special Note

The above article is an excerpt from Phil Mitsch's Revolutionary Philosophies For US Real Estate Market Recovery Book.