A Free Spreadsheet for Real Estate Agents to Track Expenses

You’re at your desk, surrounded by crumpled receipts, credit card statements, and hastily scribbled notes of miles from driving to showings. Tax season looms, and all you can think is, “I could swear I had more expenses to deduct than this!”

Keeping track of your tax-deductible expenses as a real estate agent can be a hassle, and that’s why many turn to a spreadsheet to help them stay organized. To make your life easier, we designed a simple, free template to take the stress out of organizing your finances. 

You’ll be able to easily keep track of your standard expenses as a real estate agent, like marketing, office supplies, and travel expenses. No more sifting through piles of paper or guessing at deductions—with this spreadsheet, you’ll have it all covered.

Managing your expenses doesn’t have to be a headache. Use this free real estate expense tracking spreadsheet to stay organized. Designed specifically for real estate agents, this template makes tracking all your deductible expenses in one place easy.

The spreadsheet is modeled after Schedule C (Form 1040), so you won’t have to scramble to organize your finances when tax season arrives. At the end of the year, all you need to do is transfer the totals from each expense category directly into your Schedule C. It’s that straightforward.

Within the spreadsheet, you’ll find key expense categories tailored to your business, such as:

Using this expense tracking spreadsheet consistently will help give you a crystal clear picture of your business spending and potential tax liability. To get the most out of the spreadsheet, update your entries regularly—ideally once a week—and keep your receipts organized for backup.

Access the spreadsheet template here.

Between client meetings, showings, phone calls, and endless text message exchanges, finding time to organize your expenses can feel nearly impossible. But staying on top of your records is one of the best things you can do to protect your money and maximize your tax deductions.

With the right habits and tools, you can make recordkeeping manageable—even on your busiest days. Here are some best practices to get you started:

Real estate agents are typically considered self-employed, meaning you’re responsible for managing your own taxes. This process differs from traditional employees who receive W-2 forms.

You need to file your taxes using Schedule C (Form 1040) to report your business income and expenses. This form allows you to calculate your net profit or loss from your real estate activities.

Instead of W-2s, you’ll receive 1099-NEC forms from each brokerage you worked with during the year. These forms report your non-employee compensation.

Keeping detailed records of your income and expenses throughout the year is crucial. Use our free real estate agent expenses spreadsheet to help track your expenses accurately.

As a self-employed individual, making quarterly estimated tax payments is also required. These payments cover your income tax and self-employment tax obligations.

Remember to save receipts and documentation for all your business expenses. That will help support your deductions if you ever get audited.

As a real estate agent, you have numerous opportunities to reduce your tax burden. You can benefit from over 70 potential expense deductions available to you, which could have a significant and positive impact on your bottom line.

Here are 10 of the most common expense deductions for real estate agents:

It’s also easy for expense management to take a back seat. But letting that slide can cost you—both in time and money. Recognizing these common mistakes is the first step to avoiding them: