New assesments came out

[woodchucker]

Well we got our new assesment in.

My house went down by 7%. My neighbors went down by 14%. I have no upgrades. They put in a new kitchen, 2.5 baths were redone, new deck, new patio, new walkway.

My house is 1000 sq less then theirs. We have a small house, they have 1 more bedroom and much bigger rooms.

Their house is now valued less than ours by 5k. I just got off with the assessor, and they feel everything is correct. I have 2 baths really 1.75 baths as one has a shower only. The last assesment their house was priced 20k higher than ours.. which I still felt was low due to the 1000sq feet and extra 1/2 bath.. Now with all the new stuff, how can their house be less than mine.

Talking with the company that did the inspections they feel there is nothing wrong with the numbers... You have to wonder how these idiots get their values reversed and say that there is nothing wrong. It's going to cost me to challenge my assesment.

[Leon]

Welcome to the world of fuzzy home appraisals when your government is involved.

I used to fight my appraisals pretty much every year with pretty good success. That was when they used what would naturally be good reasons to assess the value of your property. You have all valid assumptions of why your property should be appraised lower than the neighbors.

Several years ago the appraisals started going strictly by what homes in the area are selling for. Never mind if you home needs repairs, has not been updated, or is half the size of the house 3 streets over.

I finally gave up fighting it and let a local company handle fighting the appraisals. This is their area of expertise and I feel I am at least paying a fair and or reasonable tax for my area. You should probably be able to locate on in your ares. While you should be able to do this your self you probably do not know what trend or silly ass schedule is being used to determine value for any given year. It changes frequently to stay ahead of those that choose to fight this themselves.

The company that handles my fights is O'Connor and Associates. Their fee is "half" of the tax dollars that they save you each year. If they save you $500 form this years tax, you pay them $250, you are ahead $250. If they don't lower your tax bill you pay nothing. Typically you sign up initially and they handle it from year to year unless you cancel their service.

Your neighbors probably hired a similar company to handles their appraisals.

[Swingman]

BTDT, to my detriment ... even filed suit to no avail.

Many years ago, my next door neighbor's, a Houston City Councilman, house was valued at $36k less than mine. Same year built, same floor plan, same structural shape and appearance.

The reality is that with property taxes, you no longer own your home, you rent, by paying the tax, the privilege of just thinking you do from the government.

Try not paying and see how long your "ownership" lasts.

[woodchucker]

` The assesment was done by a local company hired by the town. That's useful to know about the service. As I really suck at these battles. The guy I was talking to (from the company) was talking in circles saying it's not unreasonable for a house to be valued less than another in a different neighborhood. I said it's the house next door, what different neighborhood.. and he kept doing circles.. which leads me to realize that you can't talk to an asshole.

[Keith Nuttle]

I believe that the only significant determinant in the evaluation of a house in the value of comparables in the area. That means that you are paying to live in the area not the house.

Practically any house in your addition would meet your needs, hence all equal value. YES I understand the creature comforts.

Sort of like going to college, once you have your first job out of college, the only thing that matters in you experience.

Our neighborhood has been hit hard by the obama loans. I believe we have had about 15 to 20% foreclosures. One house has been vacant for over 3 years, and their is an obama house next door. She used the 8000 new owner rebate to put in a large jungle gym in the back yard, and did not make her payments. The prices of house has dropped significantly.

[Bill]

Don't forget to claim your "Home Owner's Exemption"! ;)

[Leon]

I was using 3 streets away as an example. Most of mine are compared to across the street and next door.

You can talk till you are blue in the face, they are not going to agree unless you know which buttons to push.

Hire a firm to represent you . There is typically no obligation to pay unless you benefit.

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------------------------------------------ Your assessment went down 7%.

Are you unhappy with that reduction?

Sounds like you might be a little jealous of your neighbors apparent good fortune with the tax man.

Lew

[jo4hn]

?Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.? -Mark Twain-

[-MIKE-]

Or maybe he just wants a fair assessment done by a competent assessor and it has nothing to do with "jealousy" at all.

[athiker]

The company that has the contract to do assessments for my part of AL is in Indiana. Probably could even find us on a map.

In the last 6 years my property tax has doubled.

[krw]

Sounds like a grievance is in your future.

[krw]

When you go to sell your house, that's what will determine what it's worth. Since property taxes are based on the "value" of the house, that makes sense, no?

That is not what "comparables" means.

I'm confused. That makes sense to me. Since you don't have any experience when you graduate, all they have to go by is your education. ??

Sure. I worked with people who thought their homes were ATMs. The only time I've taken money out of my house was a refinance (14.5% to

10%) and that went right back into it (garage).

OTOH, Two years ago I bought this house from FannieMae. I paid $170K less than the previous owners. I knew I was going to lose money on my Alabama house so didn't want to sell low then buy high. I did good. ;-)

[krw]

Where mine dropped 70%. ;-) Well, I did move, but to a *much* larger house on more land.

[Leon]

do you know why? Because of tax increases or value of property? Has your neighbors gotten the same treatment?

[Leon]

Since property taxes are based on the "value" of the house,

Those taxes are based on every fixed thing on the lot, including the lot. Does that make sense? Not really.

Now granted that is the way it is set up but why on earth should you have to pay $10,000 and you neighbor only have to pay $4000? You both are being represented the same and use the same amenities.

It would be like the grocery store picking a different sales tax rate for you than the next guy in line because you own two cars and he only owns one.

[athiker]

I do not know why and the county officials just gave me a dumb look when I asked. I think they use the Indiana outfit so they can refer us to someone we can't meet face to face.

I have to admit I am not complaining much because the property taxes on our farm are low compared to just about any other place.

[Leon]

Well, If you are informed you know. If you are not informed you may be paying too much.

Just because yours is less than your neighbors does not mean that you and or your neighbors are not paying too much.

Basically I have never been sorry for looking into paying lower taxes. ;~) It typically costs you nothing, providing you go to the right people, to be represented for reconsideration of you assessed taxes.

[krw]

But those very same fixed things add (or subtract) to the resale value of the house. If they do the job right (not getting into this), then the taxed value is correct. IOW, as long as assessed_value = resale_value, all is good.

"Fairness" of the tax system is a whole different kettle. Why do I pay a higher percentage of my income in tax than my neighbor? Why do I pay more dollars in income tax? "Fair" is in the eye of the beholder but life isn't fair.

No, it's like a grocery store charging higher tax on steak than hamburger. Of course some states do this (orange juice vs. orange drink, sorts of things).

[Leon]

Property taxes based on perceived value is a farce, scam, sham, you name it.

Paying a tax for the value on your house is unfair. You don't get extra services than your next door neighbor nor does he get more services than you yet one of you is paying more tax to offset government spending.

The fact that the government picks an ever changing variable makes it easy to increase taxes with out back lash. If every one paid the same tax for said services the government would have to have a better reason/excuse to increase taxes as every one would be affected.

It is far easier to pick on individuals and increase their taxes than to increase the taxes across the board on everyone.

Every property owner under the same taxing authority should pay the same property tax. That is the only, fair to all, schedule to use.

Actually it is like the car thing, perceived wealth and taxed on that. Property taxes are not fair by taxing your perceiv4ed wealth. You should be taxed for services, not on what you own.