I got to choose best thing to say and frustration pain and my temper can get the best of my mouth.. I try but I often fail
Our assessor didn't catch up to us for almost a decade after remodeled 2013& 2014 which included a bedroom and bathroom, and back patio. Totally nailed us! Going to contest this year if they say reason for increase is for nonexistent "improvements".
House is tax assessment here, however towns reassess on time schedule 10 years and when houses are sold. Houses are supposedly taxed at market value but markets change when buyers or sellers market.. if you have a neighborhood similar houses easy. In rural area harder. So they use averages they take properties sold price vs tax price yearly In my town last year tax assessed was 40% below avg sales price. So they take tax assessments x 1.4 = market value
I learn something new here every day AI below : Property taxes in XYZ County, Wyoming, are assessed based on the fair market value of a property, which is determined annually by the County Assessor's Office as of January 1 of each tax year. The fair market value represents the price a willing buyer would pay to a willing seller in an open market, considering factors like location, property condition, and economic trends. This value is then multiplied by the assessment level, which is set at 9.5% for all property other than industrial or producing mineral property, to determine the assessed value used for taxation. The assessed value is the figure used to calculate the property tax bill. Warner , it was 2020 when they came out and the bed/bath was added. I just checked my history.
Yup...same crap here too. Insurance cost based on replacement cost, and as we all know, that has gone completely crazy in the last 5 years or so...so then tax man finds out it would take over half million to rebuild a 2000 sq ft brick cape cod style from 1940, then he wants his piece of my azz too! I don't live ocean front here people...dang!
God made us in his image. He didn't make us perfect. There is only one perfect, and it isn't me, you or anyone else on planet earth. My MIL used to say, "When you know better, you do better" No perfection.
The town recently had the audacity to send letters to residents stating they would like you to call and set up an appointment for them to come look to update their files. Um, no! They have the records of permits pulled. Why should I pay more because I have/can update the flooring or counter tops? Had one of the town accessors knock on the door. I know the guys face so, I went out the back door and walked around to greet them, clearly could see they were miffed and wanted me to open the door so they could look. Then I found out they were going around looking in peoples windows… blackout curtains are drawn any time we are not here. Tax on square footage and acreage, how I finish my home is none of your business!
No one from our "taxing authority" has ever stepped foot into our home or even inspected it from outside, as far as I know. Been here since 1989.
They didn't, I had the misfortune of being outside when they came in the driveway, some well intentioned older neighbor mentioned all the work we'd done here and they asked me straight up. He was really nice, good neighbor, RIP friend.
Yup, they come knocking around here occasionally too...if I don't know who it is, no answer. They still wander around and look things over though... probably peek in windows too. I think the insurance people have a walk about sometimes too. Grrr...
I've caught the tax guys "trespassing" to measure outbuildings. Sure, they had a badge and all that and even parked in front in a marked car but pretty ballsy to walk around onsite with no permission. Aerial photography is now excellent as well.
Here they can’t use insurance has to be comparable sales.. last time they came up drive I was building decks.. he asked to go inside, I told him no and to please leave property and make an appointment like any professional. Then the tax bill came at over double what I paid for it 4 years earlier. They used a new build across road and said my was similar size.. Most don’t contest tax appraisal I did; I bought house from R/E agent bidding war 2003 it was a foreclosure, BUT banks can list with whoever Short version I took pictures of 2 5x8 full baths, and my famous orange bathtub! 10x10 cheap builder grade kitchen. They said I only had $17,000 in depreciation on a 18 year old house with no maintenance.. walked in presented him with equity check for $ 17,000 go make my house new. I want new electric plumbing windows furnace countertops appliances and I had quotes for most of them windows were $24,000 but had to be installed.. I more or less begged him to do it! My situation is helped by long drive not normal design
Not native, but have been here since 1988 (most of my adult life). If I didn't like the state, I would have moved in 2013 when I got divorced. I was specifically continuing a conversation with those saying that NH properties are reasonable priced and good value when we all know people here are having a hard time affording any type of housing (I have no idea how people afford over $2k in rent for a small, 2 BR apartment). But, they happen to live in a state where housing is more expensive, so I can see where they are coming from.
Here is my Zillow estimate for a 960 sq/ft house (Zillow states it 1,085, but it is 24x40 so I don't know where that extra 125 sq/ft comes from). The assessment is within $20k of what Zillow estimates. I live in a lower-middle, working-class town that is 30 miles from a "city". It is not near the ocean, lakes region, or other desirable locations. I have mostly original wiring (except a couple of outlets and lights I had put in), 100 amp service, a very small galley kitchen that is totally original (beside fridge and microwave). This house is 2x4 build and would in no way be termed as "upgraded" or modernized. At my salary (and I feel I make decent money), if I were to buy today, the bank would barely judge me to be able to afford a mortgage on it. And at that, I would be house poor. Everyone's background and circumstances makes them see the exact same things in a different light.
bogieb excellent explanation, I grew up in lower middle class city. Your wording is kinder than my high school reality 50% of students had 1 or both parents incarcerated and 10 years later kindergarten had 35 languages other than English they needed interpreter for… Ok in general single/ divorced have a harder time getting into housing another drawback of the later marriage trend.. In general, a rule of thumb you take house hold income annually multiply by 3 and roughly in a county
Affordability is what you seem to be talking about. As we get older and presumably have equity built up and perhaps also have no need for local income, house value does not need to factor in affordability. I suspect that none of us are taking out a loan for the full purchase price. If a cash buyer, one would consider housing in a location where nice houses are cheap with no regard for local income statistics. Just need to be careful not to buy a mansion in a dead town that has no services or is otherwise undesirable. I have kids and understand the affordability crisis. For them, they would consider housing in a location where the incomes are high but house prices and COL are low. That is, things are more affordable. When I, about to retire, looked for the type of house I'd like to live in I found plentiful options in NH at prices much lower than WA despite nearly the same affordability index. The house you get for the median price is just much nicer in some places.
Here's the second half of the map. You can see why someone would sell from WA and move to NH. Same affordability but houses are much cheaper. I'm also liking Missouri!
I quoted self as internet went out Annual household income x 3 roughly equals price of starter home in that county.. 2 incomes easier to qualify for loan
