How to Get Cash Back When You Buy a Home

Posted by Nick Niesen on November 8th, 2010

While buying a house is a huge investment, it can also be a way to save money. Programs offering cash back on real estate have become extremely popular and are available to most people, no matter whether they are buying a house by themselves or through a REALTOR, and regardless of whether this is their first home or a commercial property.

Step 1:
Get money back when working with a REALTOR if you search and find your own home but use a REALTOR to close the deal. According to real estate experts, you are entitled to a percentage back at closing time because you did the legwork. Do keep in mind that most REALTORS will not offer you a cash back reward unless you ask for it, so be sure everything is agreed to in advance.

Step 2:
Use a company that offers cash back on real estate upon closing the agreement. DFW Realties in the Dallas Real Estate | Dallas Realtors market is a good example, as it allows you to get 2/3rd of the agent's commission at the time of signing which amounts to thousands of dollars. There are many certified companies that offer rebates, such as Inest. One of the advantages of using a certified company is that all moneys are kept in escrow until closing time, so you are never at risk of losing your percentage, no matter how the process goes or changes.

Step 3:
Declare the real estate purchase on your tax return. The government offers cash back to first-time home owners who closed a mortgage in any given calendar year and are within the 28 percent tax bracket. How much you get back will depend on the amount of your itemized deductions versus your total standard deductions.

Step 4:
Get cash back from the seller. If you are buying a home that is in foreclosure and paying actual cash for it rather than buying it through the bank with a loan, you are allowed by law to offer the actual priced quoted for the house, even if the seller is willing to take less for it. At the time of closing, you can take part of this money back as a credit towards repair, but you will still be legally able to report the total price on your taxes, increasing your break.

Caution:
Cash back payments that involve telling the loaner (usually a bank) an inflated price for the house are illegal. While many real estate agents and homeowners are not aware of this problem, it is technically illegal to request a loan higher than the actual price of the property with the idea of getting some cash back from the seller at the time of closing the deal.