Your Local Prime Real EstateYour Local Prime Real Estate

Your Family Broker

203-984-8228
info@agprimerealty.com
  • Menu
  • Home
  • Buy
  • Sell
  • Our Cities
    • Stamford
    • Greenwich
    • Darien
    • New Canaan
    • Wilton
    • Westport
    • Norwalk
  • HUD Homes
    • How to Buy a HUD-Owned Home
    • HUD FAQs for Consumers and the General Public
    • HUD FAQs for Real Estate Agents
    • HUD Home Financing Codes
    • HUD Blog Postings
  • REO
  • About
  • Client Reviews
  • Contact
  • Blog

Tax Return Depressing? Owning a Home Could Help

Tax Return Depressing? Owning a Home Could Help | Simplifying The Market

Many Americans got some depressing news last week; either their tax return was not as large as they had hoped or, in some cases, they were told they owed additional money to either the Federal or State government or both. One way to save on taxes is to own your own home.

According to the Tax Policy Center’s Briefing Book -“A citizen’s guide to the fascinating (though often complex) elements of the federal Tax System” – there are several tax advantages to homeownership.

Here are four items, and a quote on each, from the Briefing Book:

1. Mortgage Interest Deduction

“Homeowners who itemize deductions may reduce their taxable income by deducting any interest paid on a home mortgage. The deduction is limited to interest paid on up to $1 million of debt incurred to purchase or substantially rehabilitate a home. Homeowners also may deduct interest paid on up to $100,000 of home equity debt, regardless of how they use the borrowed funds. Taxpayers who do not own their home have no comparable ability to deduct interest paid on debt incurred to purchase goods and services.”

2. Property Tax Deduction

“Homeowners who itemize deductions may also reduce their taxable income by deducting property taxes they pay on their homes.”

3. Imputed Rent

“Buying a home is an investment, part of the returns from which is the opportunity to live in the home rent-free. Unlike returns from other investments, the return on homeownership—what economists call “imputed rent”—is excluded from taxable income. In contrast, landlords must count as income the rent they receive, and renters may not deduct the rent they pay. A homeowner is effectively both landlord and renter, but the tax code treats homeowners the same as renters while ignoring their simultaneous role as their own landlords.”

4. Profits from Home Sales

“Taxpayers who sell assets must generally pay capital gains tax on any profits made on the sale. But homeowners may exclude from taxable income up to $250,000 ($500,000 for joint filers) of capital gains on the sale of their home if they satisfy certain criteria: they must have maintained the home as their principal residence in two out of the preceding five years, and they generally may not have claimed the capital gains exclusion for the sale of another home during the previous two years.”

Bottom Line

We are not suggesting that you purchase a house just to save on your taxes. However, if you have been on the fence as to whether 2017 is the year you should become a homeowner, this information might help with that decision.

Disclaimer: Always check with your accountant to find out what tax advantages apply to you in your area. 
Source: KCM

Posted in: First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers Tagged: Blockquotes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Post navigation

« Measuring Your Ability to Achieve the American Dream
Americans Still Believe Real Estate is Best Long-Term Investment »
Search for:

Featured Homes

Resources

  • Blog
  • Buying Home
  • Financing
  • First Home Buyers
  • First Time Home Buyers
  • For Buyers
  • For Sellers
  • Housing Market Updates
  • HUD
  • Infographics
  • Interest Rates
  • Millennials
  • Move-Up Buyers
  • Pricing
  • Real Estate
  • Resources
  • Selling Home
  • Uncategorized

Search Tools

  • Basic Search
  • Address Search
  • Advanced Search
  • Home Valuation
  • Map Search
  • My Account
  • MLS Number
  • Contact

Our Neighborhood

Stamford

Westport

Wilton

Norwalk

Greenwich

Darien

New Canaan

REAL ESTATE IN FOCUS

Trust… Care… Expertise… = Real Results! - Whether you buy or sell we make it hassle free. - We love what we do. - We love people. - A different approach with exceptional results!

Our Neighborhood

  • Stamford
  • Greenwich
  • Darien
  • New Canaan
  • Wilton
  • Westport
  • Norwalk

Contact Us

AG Prime Realty
Stamford, CT 06903

203-984-8228
info@agprimerealty.com
© 2025 · AG Prime Realty LLC, Licensed Real Estate Broker, Stamford, CT 06903
Sage

hud-logo2

Log in