Every Dollar Counts — Maximize Your Write-Offs and Keep More of Your Hard-Earned Money with AgentXpense
1. Vehicle Mileage
How much of your driving qualifies? If you’re like most realtors, you practically live in your car. Between showings, client meetings, and brokerage visits, the mileage adds up fast — and so do the deductions.
Business-related driving can be written off, but only if it’s tracked accurately. That’s where a good mileage tracker comes in handy. It’s one of the most overlooked but valuable deductions out there.
2. Home Office
Many agents work from home at least part of the time. Do you have a dedicated space you use exclusively for work? If so, you can deduct a percentage of your home expenses — including your rent or mortgage interest, utilities, internet, and even a portion of your home maintenance. It’s a standard deduction that’s easy to miss if you’re not logging those expenses throughout the year.
3. Marketing & Advertising
You’re investing in your brand, your listings, and your visibility — and those costs are deductible. How well are you tracking your ad spend across platforms? This includes social media advertising, open house signs, flyers, postcards, professional photography, videography, staging, website hosting, and even your business cards. Every dollar spent on marketing your real estate business can help reduce your taxable income. Just be sure to keep receipts and record everything in a centralized system.
4. Client Gifts & Meals
Building relationships is part of the job, and sometimes that involves treating a client to coffee or sending a small thank-you gift. While not all client-related expenses are fully deductible, a portion of business meals and reasonable gifts can qualify. So what’s considered eligible?
Don’t forget that closing gifts also count. Whether it’s a bottle of wine, a gift basket, or a personalized home item, as long as the gift is reasonable in value and business-related, it can be written off too.
5. Professional Services
It takes a team to run a business, and the support you pay for can be written off. That includes your accountant, bookkeeper, legal advisor, virtual assistant, or marketing consultant. If someone is helping you manage or grow your real estate business and you’re paying them for it, that’s a deductible expense — just make sure to document it.
6. Continuing Education & Licensing
Staying licensed and competitive takes work — and some investment. Renewal fees for your real estate license, paid online or in-person training, coaching programs, and even webinars are all potentially deductible. If it contributes to your professional development or helps you run your business more effectively, it’s worth tracking.
7. Real Estate Software & Tools
Running a modern real estate business without digital tools is nearly impossible. CRM platforms, e-signature services, cloud storage subscriptions, listing services, and business management software like AgentXpense all fall under deductible business expenses. These tools don’t just make your life easier — they also reduce your tax burden when properly logged.
8. Phone & Internet
You’re likely using your phone and internet all day for business, from taking client calls to uploading new listings. But can you write off your entire phone or internet bill? Not quite. A percentage of your monthly phone bill and home internet can be written off if you’re using them for work.
Just remember, you can only claim the part that's used for work, so it’s worth tracking how much time you’re spending on business tasks.
9. Office Supplies & Equipment
From pens and notepads to laptops and cameras, every tool you use to run your business counts. If you purchased a new laptop for listing presentations or a camera for taking property photos, those expenses are tax-deductible. Even the little things like ink cartridges or flash drives can add up over a year, and that adds up to more money back in your pocket.
10. Brokerage Fees & Membership Dues
Whether it’s your monthly brokerage fee, MLS access, or dues for professional organizations or your local board, these are recurring expenses that are often missed. These memberships help you stay active and compliant in the real estate world — and they’re 100% deductible. Keep a running list of all your membership renewals and subscriptions as the year goes on.
Bonus Tip:
Don’t wait until the end of the year to start organizing. With AgentXpense, manage deals, organize your client database, and track expenses in real-time, without needing a separate spreadsheet or a shoebox full of invoices. Tax season gets a whole lot easier when everything is already sorted.
Try AgentXpense For Free Today → www.agentxpense.com
