[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Ct_bow

So, if the fair market value of your house is $100,000 your property taxes for that house in Shelton would be $1,260. In Milford your taxes would be $1,960.

Exactly.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Ct_bow

I don't know why this is so hard to understand. The mill rate in Shelton is a little over 18, Milford is over 28. A 'mill' is $1 for every $1,000. So in Shelton you will pay $18 for every $1,000, in Milford you will pay $28.

With that being said, in Ct most towns only tax property based on 70% of the FAIR MARKET VALUE. Not what a home is sold for. An example would be if you sold your house to your son or daughter for $1.00 would your property taxes be calculated on a $1.00 house or what the house is actually worth (the fair market value)? They use several factors to determine the fair market value but primarily they do a comparison of similar homes in a particular area/neighborhood. Shelton taxes 70% of the fair market value. I assume Milford does also.

So, if the fair market value of your house is $100,000 your property taxes for that house in Shelton would be $1,260. In Milford your taxes would be $1,960.

But they aren't being assessed the same. Look at those links. You're telling me that there isn't a pattern when homes in Shelton are being assessed at 80-90% their recent selling prices, and homes in Milford are being assessed at 50-60% their recent selling prices? Fair market value IS the selling price and comparable selling prices. The pattern can be recreated indefinitely. The data is all on Zilllow. Furthermore, if you look at public assessment data, the disparity is there too. The public assessments are accurate, but the tax assessments are completely different from town to town.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stylo

But they aren't being assessed the same. Look at those links. You're telling me that there isn't a pattern when homes in Shelton are being assessed at 80-90% their recent selling prices, and homes in Milford are being assessed at 50-60% their recent selling prices?

That could very well indicate what I said on a different thread recently: homes in Milford seem to be a bit inflated.

Even so, a house in Milford assessed at $140k (selling for $220k) has taxes of 4300. A similar house in Shelton assessed at 188k (selling for $247k) has taxes at 3100. These are similar homes picked at random.

Either way you slice it, Milford's come out higher. I'm not seeing the "simplicity" of your claims...? All towns do their assessments differently. You're using sale price as a guide when it has nothing to do with that at all.

[Stylo]

Assessments are based on fair market value, which is based on comps. There is no other accurate way to estimate value. I found that once you get below $200,000 in Milford, it starts to get closer. Which still makes me think that they're not counting land. Go ahead and compare $400,000 houses in both towns.

Also, public assessment data is available here: http://www.visionappraisal.com/databases/ which further proves the disparity.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

How many times are we going to go around and around and around on property tax comparisons???

All towns assess homes @70% of FMR. All towns are required to revaluate every 5 years. The FMR numbers that your particular town is using are based on values that were derived anywhere from years 2007-2011. A town that hasn't had a reval since '07 will obviously have a lower mill rate than a town that has revaluated in the past 2 years. The mill rate must be increased(to preserve tax revenue) when the valuation of real property declines, as it certainly has in the past 2 years.

FWIW, my observations have always been that Milford/Stratford/Bridgeport/Fairfield have pretty similar tax bills on like properties(i.e.: 1000sq.ft./.1acre, 1300sq.ft./.25acre, 2500sq.ft./.5acre,etc.). Shelton however, has always appeared to be notably(~20%) lower than the aforementioned municipalities on like properties.

[Stylo]

Whatever the case may be, I'm not complaining. I'm currently paying taxes on an assessment that is 53% the price I paid in 2010 and 50% the public assessment on the link above.

I just looked up a property in Shelton which, while being $40k cheaper than mine, has almost the exact same lot, bedrooms and square footage. It's actually a wee bit smaller than my place. And it paid 12% more in property taxes.

Again, I'm not complaining. The numbers are the numbers, and I feel like the property tax I pay for the home I have is more than competitive in the area. We are using 2006 fair market prices, so I do expect our mill rate will have to increase when they re-value.

[Capital Guy]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Whatever the case may be, I'm not complaining. I'm currently paying taxes on an assessment that is 53% the price I paid in 2010 and 50% the public assessment on the link above.

I just looked up a property in Shelton which, while being $40k cheaper than mine, has almost the exact same lot, bedrooms and square footage. It's actually a wee bit smaller than my place. And it paid 12% more in property taxes.

Again, I'm not complaining. The numbers are the numbers, and I feel like the property tax I pay for the home I have is more than competitive in the area. We are using 2006 fair market prices, so I do expect our mill rate will have to increase when they re-value.

Your town is probably due for reevaluation. That would be my guess.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Capital Guy

Your town is probably due for reevaluation. That would be my guess.

It is, but values are lower now than in 2006.

[00CT]

Hellloo just noting that to start i have lived in shelton my whole life.

Anyways the area around grove st is the worst area in Shelton. It is considered downtown. It is not THAT bad, but usually the closer you are to the shelton derby bridge generally the worse off you are.

At least you are planning to move here now because if not you would have been in a pretty bad school "Lafayete", but im not sure what school the kids would go to now but overall the schools are nice!

Ok i hope i helped!