Scorpions, rattlesnakes and #@%$*&! property taxes

[ziggy29]

Originally Posted by Notmuchlonger

Guess I wont complain about California property tax after reading these issues.

The only people who have to complain about property taxes in CA, thanks to Prop 13, are those who buy a home and pay 4x as much tax as their neighbor who lived in a nearly identical home for 30 years.

When I bought my small condo there in 1989 -- my first home -- I paid nearly twice as much in property tax as my parents who had a detached 4/2 SFR worth almost 3x as much as my condo.

[Want2retire]

Originally Posted by Notmuchlonger

Guess I wont complain about California property tax after reading these issues.

Go ahead! Complain away... I think that if you are a new resident in California, you probably have to pay more property taxes than others.

[OAG]

Last weekend in the Sunday paper (Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio) there was about a full page article (and several smaller related ones) that basically said do not expect any RE tax relief on the 2008 assessments due to falling prices. They even said that they do not even count the Foreclosures and "walk aways" in the process - which causes NO downward impact on your assessment. What a system - cut programs, reduce expenses, LWIYM (just within your means).

[lazygood4nothinbum]

Originally Posted by Moemg

And then there is Florida home to the truly bizarre property tax situation .

Originally Posted by Gearhead Jim

Tell me about Florida property taxes, please.
We're toying with the idea of buying a condo down there for winter stays, I understand that non-residents pay different property taxes than residents. Details?

this year we had many properties go down in real value yet their appraised value upon which taxes are based increased 3% due to the "save our home" amendment. homesteaded properties increase either by actual increases of real value, or the rate of inflation, either up to 3%.

as of this year, non-homesteaded properties are capped at 10% per year increases. i've seen talk in newspaper's about cutting that cap down to 5% but i don't know how far that's gotten.

here's an article from a month back...

Tallahassee tally: Legislature bad, tax commission worse -- Local Authority, Florida -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

The amendment also would cap annual assessment increases for nonhomestead properties at 5 percent, close to the 3 percent cap that full-time Florida residents have.

Like the property-tax amendment ratified earlier this year, local governments and school boards could still raise tax rates to offset losses and circumvent the amendment's intent.

[Leonidas]

I'm right with you REW, mine's up 10% again this year.

You can thank Dan Patrick for helping to at least get a 10% cap. He tried to add an amendment to make it 5% but it didn't get out of committee.

Perhaps another Texan could answer a question. A speaker on a radio program the other day was talking about this issue, and he said that the state was pressuring the appraisal districts to really boost appraisals across the board. Why would the state care, we don't pay a state RE tax, why would it matter?

[cute fuzzy bunny]

God bless californias prop 13. Not only are my property taxes restricted to an inflationary increase, now that property values are down I can actually apply for a reduction annually to match area comps.

So I'll be enjoying a small property tax cut for at least the next year or two or three or...?

Income taxes arent too bad unless you're a high earner. Sales tax around 8% stinks though.

[RDamien]

Originally Posted by brewer12345

Cry me a river. If you want real fun, come on up to "God's country" (AKA NJ). Home of the 10% property tax increase every year.

Seriously. I pay over 12k a year in property taxes here in NJ. That's for about 3/4 of an acre. I'm sure people pay way more than me but that's a LOT of money. It depresses me every time I think about it.

[ziggy29]

Originally Posted by Leonidas

Perhaps another Texan could answer a question. A speaker on a radio program the other day was talking about this issue, and he said that the state was pressuring the appraisal districts to really boost appraisals across the board. Why would the state care, we don't pay a state RE tax, why would it matter?

I suspect they figure that the more they can jack up local city, county and school taxes by inflating appraisals, the less these jurisdictions would scream poverty and demand aid from Austin. I suspect that's particularly true for the school taxes. I doubt the lege wants a lot of reports about "starving schools" screaming to Austin for help. So better to inflate their coffers with bloated assessments.

Assuming this speaker is factual, anyway.

[Dawg54]

Wahoo,

You have an RV, correct? Maybe it's time to become 'George & Tioga II'. Sell everything and go mobile. Camp in the wild and live off the fat of the land. I hear rattlesnakes taste like chicken.

I built a house about 5 miles outside the city limits in a new subdivision a few years ago. Low and behold the city decided to invite us in the the city through annexation. Been tied up in the courts for a few years but the city will win. Means an automatic 50% increase in taxes. Property values have been adjusted upward in the mean time as well. Glad I sold mine when I did. In a subdivision of around 75 houses, 18 are for sale right now. I'm living in my aunt's small old house. Cheap cheap cheap living.

[REWahoo]

Originally Posted by ziggy29

I suspect they figure that the more they can jack up local city, county and school taxes by inflating appraisals, the less these jurisdictions would scream poverty and demand aid from Austin. I suspect that's particularly true for the school taxes. I doubt the lege wants a lot of reports about "starving schools" screaming to Austin for help. So better to inflate their coffers with bloated assessments.

This would be my guess as well. What politician wants to defend the failed property tax relief bill they helped pass in 2005 come re-election time?

[REWahoo]

Originally Posted by Dawg52

Wahoo,

You have an RV, correct? Maybe it's time to become 'George & Tioga II'. Sell everything and go mobile. Camp in the wild and live off the fat of the land. I hear rattlesnakes taste like chicken.

If I didn't already know you were bachelor, this would have been a dead giveaway.... DW does not share my sense of adventure and would definitely not be willing to give up her stick built house.

Speaking of rattlesnakes, did anyone see "Dirty Jobs" last night? A guy working on one of those huge wind generators was bitten on the hand by a rattler - 250 feet above ground. Man, can those things fly?

[ziggy29]

Speaking of taxes, I took the liberty of looking at the assessments for my neighbors. I'm getting ripped.

My assessed value on the structure (not including the land) is $66.59 per square foot.

My next door neighbor's home was assessed at $17.15 per square foot.

And the house beyond that? $40.41 per square foot. In fact, this house has 1760 square feet versus 1167 for mine, and it's appraised lower!

The next door neighbor on the other side of me? $38.99.

In fact, nothing in the vicinity seems to be assessed at more than $46 per square foot...except for my house.

Truth be told, I think my appraisal is close to market value. But the others are ridiculously and insanely low. They have stuff appraised at $50K or less that would likely sell for close to $100K or even more.

[Want2retire]

Originally Posted by ziggy29

Speaking of taxes, I took the liberty of looking at the assessments for my neighbors. I'm getting ripped.

My assessed value on the structure (not including the land) is $66.59 per square foot.

My next door neighbor's home was assessed at $17.15 per square foot.

And the house beyond that? $40.41 per square foot. In fact, this house has 1760 square feet versus 1167 for mine, and it's appraised lower!

The next door neighbor on the other side of me? $38.99.

In fact, nothing in the vicinity seems to be assessed at more than $46 per square foot...except for my house.

Truth be told, I think my appraisal is close to market value. But the others are ridiculously and insanely low. They have stuff appraised at $50K or less that would likely sell for close to $100K or even more.

I made similar observations about my assessment during the first few years I owned my house. But now (after 6 years), mine is lower than some others, who have bought more recently.

[REWahoo]

Originally Posted by ziggy29

Speaking of taxes, I took the liberty of looking at the assessments for my neighbors. I'm getting ripped.

Man, those hangovers are a real pain...

Oh, you mean ripped as in "off"! Yep, sounds like you've got some great ammunition for a protest. You'll either get your appraisal lowered or your neighbors increased - maybe both!

I'm envious of you living in one of those progressive counties with information available online. Out here in the 19th century we still have to go to the tax office over at the county seat to get that kind of information. It's a long ride for the horses in this heat, too....

[Want2retire]

Originally Posted by REWahoo

Out here in the 19th century we still have to go to the tax office over at the county seat to get that kind of information. It's a long ride for the horses in this heat, too....

Not to mention the fire ants, rattlesnakes, scorpions, and tornados... probably baby-eating coyotes, too.

[Art G]

Speaking of property taxes and Texas. They are now appraising my house for the estimated value of the natural gas they will soon be drilling for under my house. They have no idea how much is under there, but they're surely not missing the chance to tax me for it.

[ziggy29]

Originally Posted by REWahoo

Man, those hangovers are a real pain...

Oh, you mean ripped as in "off"! Yep, sounds like you've got some great ammunition for a protest. You'll either get your appraisal lowered or your neighbors increased - maybe both!

I'd like to think I've got them. Here's a spreadsheet comparing my appraisal with eight homes directly surrounding me.

Bend Over!

As you can see, if this is allowed to stick, I'm getting screwed.

[REWahoo]

Zig, I noticed the appraisal doesn't include land. Any significant differences in lot size that could skew the numbers?