Redfin and Thumbtack Recommend Ways for Home Sellers to Use Their Tax Refund

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Homeowners who expect to receive a tax refund and who are planning to sell a home this spring will want to take a look at a report released today by Redfin (www.redfin.com), the customer-first real estate brokerage, and Thumbtack (www.thumbtack.com), a service that helps people find the right professionals for their projects.

The report identifies home improvement projects that Redfin real estate agents recommend homeowners complete before putting their home on the market. It also includes price estimates for having the work done by a professional, provided by Thumbtack. The home improvement projects are grouped into four categories, with each category totaling about $3,000, the average tax refund, according to the IRS.

“Spending your tax refund on sprucing up your home before you put it on the market can really pay off,” said Mia Simon, a real estate agent at Redfin. “A few simple improvements go a long way toward making a positive first impression when people tour your home, and that can lead to more offers and a higher sale price.”

The home improvement categories include:

• Exterior: The interior of the home looks great, but the exterior has been neglected after a long winter and needs some curb appeal.
• Interior: The exterior of the home looks good, but the interior needs a deep clean and/or small repairs.
• Clutter: The interior and exterior are in good condition, but the home is full of clutter and needs to be organized.
• Outdated: The home is older and could use some updates to feel more modern.

“Financial planners often advise Americans to invest their tax refunds toward retirement or to save it for a rainy day,” said Jon Lieber, chief economist of Thumbtack. “And that’s solid advice, but putting that money into a home that’s soon to be on the market can generate an immediate return that can help boost your nest egg even further.”

Now is the ideal time for homeowners to get estimates and start scheduling appointments with professionals so their home is ready for its grand debut on the market. According to a recent Redfin report, homes listed between March 21 and June 20 sell faster and for more money than any other season.

To read the full report, complete with a breakdown of projects and price estimates, visit the Redfin blog at https://www.redfin.com/blog/2015/03/how-to-spend-your-tax-refund-if-you-plan-to-sell-your-home-this-spring.html.

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About Redfin

Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a customer-first real estate brokerage that represents people buying and selling homes. Founded and run by technologists, Redfin has a team of experienced, full-service real estate agents who are advocates, not salespeople, earning customer-satisfaction bonuses, not commissions. Redfin.com features all the broker-listed homes for sale, as well as for-sale-by-owner properties that don't pay brokers a commission. Redfin also offers online tools that make the entire process of buying or selling a home easier and more fun. The company serves major markets across the U.S. and has closed nearly $20 billion in home sales. In 2012, Redfin was named one of The DIGITAL 100: World's Most Valuable Private Tech Companies by Business Insider.

About Thumbtack

Launched in December 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, Thumbtack is a consumer service that helps millions of people accomplish the personal projects that are central to their lives. Thumbtack introduces customers to experienced professionals who are available, interested and qualified to meet their specific needs. Whether looking for a painter for their home, a math tutor for their child, or a DJ for their wedding, Thumbtack provides anyone in the U.S. with an easy and dependable way to get started, compare options, and hire with confidence. Customers get started by answering specific questions to communicate their individual needs. Within hours, Thumbtack introduces customers to several available and qualified professionals. Customers hire professionals after comparing custom quotes, reviews, business profiles and, if necessary, calling or meeting with the professionals to discuss their work. Thumbtack helps customers with 5 million projects per year by introducing them to available and qualified professionals within hours. With service professionals representing more than 950 categories and operating in all 50 U.S. states, the company sends an estimated $2 billion worth of business annually to more than 100,000 paying professionals. The company has raised a total of $150 million from Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global Management, Javelin Venture Partners, and Google Capital.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150324005291/en/

Redfin Journalist Services:
Christin Camacho, 206-588-6863
[email protected]

Source: Redfin

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