Using Your Tax Refund To Achieve Your Homeownership Goals This Year

Using Your Tax Refund To Achieve Your Homeownership Goals This Year

Using Your Tax Refund To Achieve Your Homeownership Goals This Year

If you’re buying or selling a home this year, you’re likely saving up for a variety of expenses. For buyers, that might include things like your down payment and closing costs. And for sellers, you’re probably working on a bit of spring cleaning and maintenance to spruce up your house before you list it.

Either way, any money you get back from your taxes can help you achieve your goals. Using a tax refund is a common tactic for buyers and sellers. SmartAsset estimates the average American will receive a $2,897 tax refund this year. The map below provides a more detailed estimate by state:

Using Your Tax Refund To Achieve Your Homeownership Goals This Year | MyKCM

If you’re getting a refund this year, here are a few tips to help with your home purchase or sale this season.

How Buyers Can Use Their Tax Refund

According to American Financing, there are multiple ways your refund check can help you as a homebuyer. A few include:

  • Growing your down payment fund – If you haven’t started saving for your down payment, let your tax refund kick off the process. And if you have a fund already, the money you get back could put you closer to your goal.
  • Paying for your home inspection – Your home inspection can save you a lot of headaches down the road by helping you determine the condition of the house. As a buyer, you’ll typically be responsible for paying for your inspection, and it’s definitely worth the investment.
  • Saving for closing costs – Closing costs are additional expenses you’ll need to pay once it’s time to close. They average anywhere between 2-5% of the purchase price of your home.

This list is a great start, but it isn’t exhaustive of all the costs you may encounter as you set out on your homebuying journey. The best way to prepare is to work with a trusted real estate professional to make sure you understand what’s to come in the process.

How Sellers Can Use Their Tax Refund

If you own a home and are planning to sell this spring, your tax refund can help you make sure your home is ready to list. Here are a few ways current homeowners can put their tax refund to good use:

  • Making small upgrades – NerdWallet provides a list of great ways to use your tax refund, including tackling small projects or boosting your curb appeal to help your home stand out.
  • Making repairs – If there’s anything in your house that needs to be fixed, American Financing notes that completing repairs is another great use of that money.
  • Buying your next home – Whether you’re selling to move up or downsize, you can use your tax refund to help pay for any costs on the purchase of your next home.

Of course, it’s important to talk with your trusted real estate advisor before taking on any projects. They’ll make sure you can focus on areas that’ll help you receive the best possible price when you sell.

Bottom Line

Funding your home purchase or sale can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Your tax refund can help you reach your goals. Let’s connect to discuss how you can start on your journey.

Is This Your Year To Break Up with Renting?

Is This Your Year To Break Up with Renting?

 

Is This Your Year To Break Up with Renting?

If you aren’t in love with renting, you’re not alone. Let’s connect so you can break up with your rental and start your journey toward homeownership.

Marty Gale

Buy or Sell with Marty Gale

"Its The Experience"

Principal Broker and Owner of Utah Realty™

Licensed Since 1986

CERTIFIED LUXURY HOME MARKETING SPECIALIST (CLHM)

PSA  (Pricing Strategy Advisor)

General Contractor 2000 (in-active)
e-pro (advanced digital marketing) 2001
Certified Residential Specialist 2009

Certified Negotiation Expert 2014

Master Certified Negotiation Expert 2014
Certified Probate Specialist Since 2018

Senior Real Estate Specialist

Certified Divorce Specialist CDS

 

Contact me! 

 

 

Dwight Christie

Positive: Professionalism, Responsiveness

Marty sat down with my and wife and me to explain his process of helping first time home buyers. He took the time with us as we are interested in helping our kids. Marty is very professional and knows the real estate market better than anyone that we have talked to in the past. We will definitely be recommending Marty to help our daughter and her husband to get into their first home.

Brad East

Positive: Professionalism, Responsiveness

Marty has represented us for years and is an exceptional agent. In addition to his many decades in residential real estate, he also is an experienced luxury, custom home builder. His knowledge of the quality(or lack thereof) of the craftmanship of a home is invaluable. He sees things that even the inspectors may miss. He is thorough, responsive through the entire process, and skilled at negotiation. We certainly recommend him without hesitation

Adia Thornton

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

House hunting was practically a full time job. We were out looking at houses almost every single day. The market is so hot we lost 6 offers. He kept our spirits up and never wavered on quality.

His expertise was sooo valuable. He was really looking out for us. If we walked a house and it was cute but would have hidden problems he spotted them and guided us away from it.

We’re now in an adorable house that was exactly what we needed.

Todd Anderson

Positive: Value

Marty and Laurie are veterans in Utah’s real estate market. They understand property valuations in various market conditions. They are adept at finding solutions for the trickiest challenges of buying or selling a home. Marty and Laurie successfully sold three properties for our family. I highly recommend them for your real estate transaction.

Daniel Garner

Marty and his team are some of the most knowledgeable and caring people I know. I definitely would recommend his services to anyone!

Spencer Clark

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

Marty was great to work with. The expertise and experience he offers are unmatched. I highly recommend Utah Realty for all your real estate needs.

Faye Williamson

 

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

This is the second time using Marty Gale. He is very knowledgeable and has a keen sense of reading people, especially in negotiating. His advice has never failed. The second time using him had some unique hurdles, especially because it had been a rental property. His advice and willingness to help make the sale happen were above and beyond my expectations. I highly recommend him and Laurie for selling or buying. Thanks to the Gale team!

Lonnie Woodman

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

Marty is great to work with! He found the exact house I was looking for in a super tough market.

Kitroen Costner

 
 

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

I had a Great experience! Got my house sold super fast for a great price.

Wyatt Anderson

 
Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value
Marty is exceptionally professional to work with. He is very knowledgeable in the field of real estate and construction. I was very impressed how he made me feel through the whole transaction of the sale, even during the midst of Covid-19. I highly recommended Marty!

B Flow

Marty Gale is amazing to work with. He was able to work miracles for us in order to sell our condo. He goes above and beyond what a realtor is required to do because he becomes invested in his clients. He actually cares about who he is representing. His network of lenders and other people in the industry makes for a seamless process.


We also used him to buy our new home. We had an extremely short time frame and he was able to get us closed on our new home in record time before we went on vacation. He knew we would be worried about the security of our home while we were gone and he offered to keep a very close eye on it to put our minds at ease. He did all this after we had closed on our home and technically his “job” had ended. I can’t recommend him enough! Thank you Marty!!!

Greg Anderson

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

Marty was great and had worked hard to sale . I would use Marty again to buy or sale. Marty is a 12 star realtor.

Coulter Baldes

We’ve been through war with this guy and he stood by us the entire time. He always had time for us, and was always going above and beyond behind the scenes for us. His suggestions were awesome and people he works with we’re also fantastic. Can’t speak enough of how much this guy helped us.

Trevan Thomas

I recently bought my first home with my fiancee and Marty was incredibly helpful. I had no idea how complicated the process of buying a home would be. We certainly could not have done it without Marty’s help. He is experienced and used his connections with a variety of people to make the process as quick and easy as possible. I definitely recommend contacting him if you’re in the market for a new home.

Cynthia Sayers

 

They are the most caring, educated, patient agents and go the extra mile to be sure you understand and are in the loop from begining to end. You can’t go go wrong with Marty and Laurie Gale, they are a blessing.

Mariah Mills

 

Marty was great to work with. Recently my fiance and I were looking for a house, and Marty was recommended to us by my mother. She worked with Marty 30+ years ago when my parents bought their house. I had no idea all that went into buying a house, but thankfully we had Marty there to help walk us through it. He was great at using his connections to help us get our house. I would recommend Marty to anyone looking to buy a house.

Brandon Christensen

 I’m a loan officer who was working with Marty and Laurie to help a great family get into a home. No matter how many issues came up in the loan, they would stop whatever they were doing to make sure the issue got taken care of. They were absolutely instrumental in getting the loan closed and I truly do believe that most other realtors would have fallen short. Between their experience and dedication to the families they help, I don’t think that you could find a better realtor to get you into a home. I highly recommend them to anybody who’s looking to buy a home. They will get you both the best deal and experience possible.

Samantha Cook

Marty Gale is the best! He is a master negotiator! You can’t go wrong with him. I highly recommend him and would recommend him to anyone I know.

 

Jenny Bowen

 

Marty Gale at Utah Real Estate was fantastic to work with! He helped us both with the sale of our home as well as the purchase of a new one. I loved that he got feedback forms on the showings so we could get an idea of what potential buyers thought of our home. He was eventually able to negotiate a very strong offer and even got us above the asking price. On our purchase, he showed us countless properties and provided insight because of his professional background. For the home we purchased, it was in a very hot area and he made sure we were first at the open house. He also HAND DELIVERED our carefully written offer so that we would stand out against other offers. I would highly recommend Marty to anyone looking to buy or sell!

Marc J.

 
 

Gilbert Bruce

Both Marty and Lori were fantastic to work with. They went the extra mile during one of the toughest winters in the Midway area to produce a great sale of our residence. Never a complaint to travel to Midway for open houses and potential buyers. They’re the best!

DeWayne Brundage

We loved working with Marty Gale! He gave us so many tips on how to stage our home to sell, we followed his advice and sold it quickly. He helped us find our new home and closed on both at the same time. It was a stressful time but he made the process so much easier. I would highly recommend Marty and Laurie Gale to anyone looking to sell or buy a home. They have years of experience and it really shows. Thank you Marty and Laurie for all your help and for helping us keep our sanity through this process!

Thomas Alley

Marty is the hardest working and most helpful real estate agent I have met. I have gone through 4 cycles of buying and selling homes in my life and Marty was simply the best. Marty recently helped us sell a house and he guided us every step of the way, providing sound advice from his lifetime of experience. I highly recommend Marty.

Peter Smith

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

Marty walked me through the entire home buying process, answered all my questions, and advised on the best courses of action while allowing me autonomy. His breadth and depth of knowledge in the industry is unparalleled, rarely did he not know the answer to a concern I had. I could tell he wasn’t just a salesman but a person invested in my family and I’s well-being. HIGHLY recommend, will use again.

Lindsey Fabiano

 
Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value
Marty is amazing to work with. You can tell by his actions that he really works toward your personal needs and preferences and never toward his own. He is the absolute best!
Americans Choose Real Estate as the Best Investment 

Americans Choose Real Estate as the Best Investment 

Americans Choose Real Estate as the Best Investment

Americans Choose Real Estate as the Best Investment [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM

Some Highlights

  • According to a Gallup poll, real estate has been rated the best long-term investment for eight years in a row.
  • Real estate tops the list because you’re not just buying a place to call home – you’re investing in your future. Real estate is typically considered a stable and secure asset that can grow in value over time.
  • Let’s connect today if you’re ready to make real estate your best investment this year.

Samuel Norman Family

Samuel Norman

 
If I could give Marty a 10 I would but google only allows a 5. We were first time buyers and were very nervous in buying our first home not thinking we’d have much of a chance or the financial capability. Marty went above and beyond the call of duty and helped us every step of the way, from choosing the best loan to driving us out several hours away to take a look at properties we were interested in. He even helped us for several hours to trim up the trees and branches that broke off and covered the property we had just purchased from a snow storm that hit right as we closed on the property. Marty is more dedicated to helping others than anyone else I know of and it was the greatest experience to work with him and learn from him. If you are considering buying or selling a home I can assure you are in great hands. There is no one better that I know of that can and will do as much as Marty has. Thank you Marty for everything.

Taylorsville Chiropractic - Dr. Terry Martin

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value
My commercial real estate was complicated and unique. Laurie and Marty went beyond any expectations to successfully market and sell the property. Their experience, connections within the community, and excellent reputation is priceless.

Kelly Costner

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

Marty really knows his stuff. I’ve had him represent me as both a buyer and a seller, and I feel like I’ve got a real pro in my corner every time. He makes the process of buying and selling smooth and easy, and has a real handle on what the market’s doing. That way, you can feel confident you’re getting the best deal and taking action at the right time. His expertise and many years of experience are well worth the fee.

Emily Costner

Very professional. We greatly appreciated the care in the photos that made our home look spectacular! The selling process was quick and easy.

Adia Thornton

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

House hunting was practically a full time job. We were out looking at houses almost every single day. The market is so hot we lost 6 offers. He kept our spirits up and never wavered on quality.

His expertise was sooo valuable. He was really looking out for us. If we walked a house and it was cute but would have hidden problems he spotted them and guided us away from it.

We’re now in an adorable house that was exactly what we needed.

Lonnie Woodman

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

Marty is great to work with! He found the exact house I was looking for in a super tough market.

Brad East

Positive: Professionalism, Responsiveness

Marty has represented us for years and is an exceptional agent. In addition to his many decades in residential real estate, he also is an experienced luxury, custom home builder. His knowledge of the quality(or lack thereof) of the craftmanship of a home is invaluable. He sees things that even the inspectors may miss. He is thorough, responsive through the entire process, and skilled at negotiation. We certainly recommend him without hesitation

Dwight Christie

Positive: Professionalism, Responsiveness

Marty sat down with my and wife and me to explain his process of helping first time home buyers. He took the time with us as we are interested in helping our kids. Marty is very professional and knows the real estate market better than anyone that we have talked to in the past. We will definitely be recommending Marty to help our daughter and her husband to get into their first home.

Daniel Garner

Marty and his team are some of the most knowledgeable and caring people I know. I definitely would recommend his services to anyone!

Kitroen Costner

 
 

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

I had a Great experience! Got my house sold super fast for a great price.

Spencer Clark

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

Marty was great to work with. The expertise and experience he offers are unmatched. I highly recommend Utah Realty for all your real estate needs.

Todd Anderson

Positive: Value

Marty and Laurie are veterans in Utah’s real estate market. They understand property valuations in various market conditions. They are adept at finding solutions for the trickiest challenges of buying or selling a home. Marty and Laurie successfully sold three properties for our family. I highly recommend them for your real estate transaction.

B Flow

Marty Gale is amazing to work with. He was able to work miracles for us in order to sell our condo. He goes above and beyond what a realtor is required to do because he becomes invested in his clients. He actually cares about who he is representing. His network of lenders and other people in the industry makes for a seamless process.


We also used him to buy our new home. We had an extremely short time frame and he was able to get us closed on our new home in record time before we went on vacation. He knew we would be worried about the security of our home while we were gone and he offered to keep a very close eye on it to put our minds at ease. He did all this after we had closed on our home and technically his “job” had ended. I can’t recommend him enough! Thank you Marty!!!

Wyatt Anderson

 
Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value
Marty is exceptionally professional to work with. He is very knowledgeable in the field of real estate and construction. I was very impressed how he made me feel through the whole transaction of the sale, even during the midst of Covid-19. I highly recommended Marty!

Faye Williamson

 

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

This is the second time using Marty Gale. He is very knowledgeable and has a keen sense of reading people, especially in negotiating. His advice has never failed. The second time using him had some unique hurdles, especially because it had been a rental property. His advice and willingness to help make the sale happen were above and beyond my expectations. I highly recommend him and Laurie for selling or buying. Thanks to the Gale team!

Greg Anderson

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

Marty was great and had worked hard to sale . I would use Marty again to buy or sale. Marty is a 12 star realtor.

Trevan Thomas

I recently bought my first home with my fiancee and Marty was incredibly helpful. I had no idea how complicated the process of buying a home would be. We certainly could not have done it without Marty’s help. He is experienced and used his connections with a variety of people to make the process as quick and easy as possible. I definitely recommend contacting him if you’re in the market for a new home.

Coulter Baldes

We’ve been through war with this guy and he stood by us the entire time. He always had time for us, and was always going above and beyond behind the scenes for us. His suggestions were awesome and people he works with we’re also fantastic. Can’t speak enough of how much this guy helped us.

Mariah Mills

 

Marty was great to work with. Recently my fiance and I were looking for a house, and Marty was recommended to us by my mother. She worked with Marty 30+ years ago when my parents bought their house. I had no idea all that went into buying a house, but thankfully we had Marty there to help walk us through it. He was great at using his connections to help us get our house. I would recommend Marty to anyone looking to buy a house.

Cynthia Sayers

 

They are the most caring, educated, patient agents and go the extra mile to be sure you understand and are in the loop from begining to end. You can’t go go wrong with Marty and Laurie Gale, they are a blessing.

Samantha Cook

Marty Gale is the best! He is a master negotiator! You can’t go wrong with him. I highly recommend him and would recommend him to anyone I know.

 

Brandon Christensen

 I’m a loan officer who was working with Marty and Laurie to help a great family get into a home. No matter how many issues came up in the loan, they would stop whatever they were doing to make sure the issue got taken care of. They were absolutely instrumental in getting the loan closed and I truly do believe that most other realtors would have fallen short. Between their experience and dedication to the families they help, I don’t think that you could find a better realtor to get you into a home. I highly recommend them to anybody who’s looking to buy a home. They will get you both the best deal and experience possible.

Marc J.

 
 

Jenny Bowen

 

Marty Gale at Utah Real Estate was fantastic to work with! He helped us both with the sale of our home as well as the purchase of a new one. I loved that he got feedback forms on the showings so we could get an idea of what potential buyers thought of our home. He was eventually able to negotiate a very strong offer and even got us above the asking price. On our purchase, he showed us countless properties and provided insight because of his professional background. For the home we purchased, it was in a very hot area and he made sure we were first at the open house. He also HAND DELIVERED our carefully written offer so that we would stand out against other offers. I would highly recommend Marty to anyone looking to buy or sell!

Gilbert Bruce

Both Marty and Lori were fantastic to work with. They went the extra mile during one of the toughest winters in the Midway area to produce a great sale of our residence. Never a complaint to travel to Midway for open houses and potential buyers. They’re the best!

Thomas Alley

Marty is the hardest working and most helpful real estate agent I have met. I have gone through 4 cycles of buying and selling homes in my life and Marty was simply the best. Marty recently helped us sell a house and he guided us every step of the way, providing sound advice from his lifetime of experience. I highly recommend Marty.

DeWayne Brundage

We loved working with Marty Gale! He gave us so many tips on how to stage our home to sell, we followed his advice and sold it quickly. He helped us find our new home and closed on both at the same time. It was a stressful time but he made the process so much easier. I would highly recommend Marty and Laurie Gale to anyone looking to sell or buy a home. They have years of experience and it really shows. Thank you Marty and Laurie for all your help and for helping us keep our sanity through this process!

Doc Carmel Ferreira

 
Laurie was a delight to have had when I was looking for a commercial space. She was so patient with helping me find spaces that fit my criteria but even more grateful for he knowledge on helping understand some of the complicated lease agreements I was presented with. In the end, she helped me find the perfect space and along that journey I made an incredible friend from that time. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME!!!!

Peter Smith

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value

Marty walked me through the entire home buying process, answered all my questions, and advised on the best courses of action while allowing me autonomy. His breadth and depth of knowledge in the industry is unparalleled, rarely did he not know the answer to a concern I had. I could tell he wasn’t just a salesman but a person invested in my family and I’s well-being. HIGHLY recommend, will use again.

Lindsey Fabiano

 
Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value
Marty is amazing to work with. You can tell by his actions that he really works toward your personal needs and preferences and never toward his own. He is the absolute best!

Marty Gale

Buy or Sell with Marty Gale

"Its The Experience"

Principal Broker and Owner of Utah Realty™

Licensed Since 1986

CERTIFIED LUXURY HOME MARKETING SPECIALIST (CLHM)

PSA  (Pricing Strategy Advisor)

General Contractor 2000 (in-active)
e-pro (advanced digital marketing) 2001
Certified Residential Specialist 2009

Certified Negotiation Expert 2014

Master Certified Negotiation Expert 2014
Certified Probate Specialist Since 2018

Senior Real Estate Specialist

Certified Divorce Specialist CDS

 

Contact me! 

 

 

The Mortgage Process Doesn’t Have To Be Scary

The Mortgage Process Doesn’t Have To Be Scary

The Mortgage Process Doesn’t Have To Be Scary

The Mortgage Process Doesn’t Have To Be Scary [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM

Some Highlights

  • Applying for a mortgage is a big step towards homeownership, but it doesn’t need to be one you fear. Here are some tips to help you prepare.
  • Know your credit score and work to build strong credit. When you’re ready, lean on your agent to connect you with a lender so you can get pre-approved and begin your home search.
  • Any major life change can be scary, and buying a home is no different. Let’s connect so you have an advisor by your side to take the fear out of the equation.
Expert News on Mortgage Rates

Expert News on Mortgage Rates

What Do Experts Say About Today’s Mortgage Rates?

What Do Experts Say About Today’s Mortgage Rates? | MyKCM

Mortgage rates are hovering near record lows, and that’s good news for today’s homebuyers. The graph below shows mortgage rates dating back to 2016 and where today falls by comparison.What Do Experts Say About Today’s Mortgage Rates? | MyKCMGenerally speaking, when rates are low, you can afford more home for your money. That’s why experts across the industry agree – today’s low rates present buyers with an incredible opportunity. Here’s what they have to say:

Sam Khater, Chief Economist at Freddie Mac, points out the historic nature of today’s rates:

“As the economy works to get back to its pre-pandemic self, and the fight against COVID-19 variants unfolds, owners and buyers continue to benefit from some of the lowest mortgage rates of all-time.”

Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, talks about how rates impact a buyer’s bottom line:

“Mortgage rates are generally the same across the country, so a decline in mortgage rates boosts affordability equally in each market.”

Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com, also notes the significance of today’s low rates and urges buyers to carefully consider their timing:

“Those who haven’t yet taken advantage of low rates to buy a home or refinance still have the opportunity to do so this summer.”

Hale goes on to say that buyers who don’t act soon could see higher rates in the coming months, negatively impacting their purchasing power:

“We expect mortgage rates to fluctuate near historic lows through the summer before beginning to climb this fall.”

And while mortgage rates are still low today, the data from Freddie Mac indicates rates are fluctuating ever so slightly right now, as they moved up one week before inching slightly back down in their latest release. It’s important to keep in mind the influence rates have on your monthly mortgage payment.

Even small increases can have a big impact on what you pay each month. Trust the experts. Today’s rates give you opportunity and flexibility in what you can afford. Don’t wait on the sidelines and hope for a better rate to come along; the rates we’re seeing today are worth capitalizing on.

Bottom Line

Mortgage rates hover near record lows today, but experts forecast they’ll rise in the coming months. Waiting could prove costly when that happens. Let’s connect today to discuss today’s rates and determine if now’s the time for you to buy.

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