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Are You Saving Up To Buy a Home? Your Tax Refund Can Help

You’ve been working on your savings and dreaming of that moment when you finally have keys to a place that’s truly yours. What you might not realize is that your tax return could give you a little extra cash to help you get there sooner. As Freddie Mac notes:

“ . . . your tax refund from the IRS can be a useful supplement to your homebuying budget.” 

So, if you’re getting a tax refund this year, you can use it to help you pay for some of the upfront costs that come with buying a home, like the down payment and closing costs. And here’s the best part.

On average, people are getting even more money back in their refunds than they did last year. While it’s not a big increase, the visual below uses data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to show the average individual’s refund is 3.9% higher this year:

a screenshot of a computer

Of course, how much money you may get in your tax refund is going to vary. But when it comes to buying a home, any extra cash can help move things forward. Here are a few examples of how you can put that money to good use, according to Freddie Mac:

  • Save for a down payment – Saving for a down payment can be one of the biggest hurdles for buyers. Setting aside your tax refund for this expense could help you get to your goal faster. Just remember, it’s typically not required to put 20% down.
  • Pay for closing costs – Closing costs include fees for things like the appraisal, title insurance, and underwriting of your loan. They’re generally between 2% and 5% of the total purchase price of the home. So, putting your refund toward these costs can make things more manageable on closing day.
  • Lower your mortgage rate – Your lender might give you the option to buy down your mortgage rate. If you qualify for this option, you could pay up front to have a lower rate on your mortgage. If affordability is tight for you at today’s rates and home prices, this may be worth exploring.

But you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Working with a team of trusted real estate professionals who understand the homebuying process, what you need to save, and any resources you can tap into will help you make sure you’re ready to buy when the time comes.

Bottom Line

When it comes to saving for a home, every dollar gets you one step closer to your goal. While your tax refund may not be enough to change the game, it can help give your homebuying fund a boost.

What would having your own home mean for you or your family this year?

Carrie loves people and numbers! Carrie has worked in financial services since she graduated from Iowa State with a degree in Finance. She enjoys connecting with new people and developing relationships to foster business and promoting other people. She is an active runner, golfer, enjoys reading, traveling, family, friends, meme sharing, comedy, anything Warren Buffett related and following the markets and investing. Carrie is happiest surrounded by family and dear friends including her boyfriend Mike and his two children most likely laughing or telling stories .

Carrie is also an adult living with Cystic Fibrosis – diagnosed when she was three months old. Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

In people with CF, mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene cause the CFTR protein to become dysfunctional. When the protein is not working correctly, it’s unable to help move chloride — a component of salt — to the cell surface. Without the chloride to attract water to the cell surface, the mucus in various organs becomes thick and sticky. In the lungs, the mucus clogs the airways and traps germs, like bacteria, leading to infections, inflammation, respiratory failure, and other complications. For every loan I close with Clear Mortgage, I will be donating $200 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Iowa Chapter. Reach out and apply now!

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