[sunnygurl]

Sorry for the stupid question, but can someone explain to me why prop. taxes are so high there, and when they started getting so high? Was there a law passed within the last 10 years that drastically increased prop taxes???? I just don't understand how a 400k house in Florida could have a tax bill of 8-12k, depending on the county/locality. Has Florida always had high prop taxes in proportion to other populous states? Maybe I just wasn't aware of that............

[Mike1306]

Have you taken the time to research the property taxes in other locales.
I know of many areas that the property taxes are higher and some of those also have a state income tax.

[sunnygurl]

My taxes on a 500k house in Virginia are 3k. Yes, there is a state income tax, but even with the state income tax, living in a 500k house in Florida would be more expensive, when you factor in not only the tripling of my property taxes but also the tripling (at least) of my homeowners insurance and the doubling (at least) of my auto insurance. Not to mention that wages in Florida are STILL depressed and not reflective of how costly it has become to live there.

Depressing.

I would hate to think that, as a native Floridian, I have been priced out of Florida in the last 10 years!

And yes, there are places with higher property taxes than Florida (Cali, NY, NJ, etc.) but at least in those places you are getting a PERFECT CLIMATE (Cali) or GREAT SCHOOLS (NY/NJ). In Florida you are getting neither.

I can see why people are leaving Florida "in droves." It is becoming only for the rich or the poor. Sadly, that is what is happening to the whole country, I think.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by sunnygurl

My taxes on a 500k house in Virginia are 3k. Yes, there is a state income tax, but even with the state income tax, living in a 500k house in Florida would be more expensive, when you factor in not only the tripling of my property taxes but also the tripling (at least) of my homeowners insurance and the doubling (at least) of my auto insurance. Not to mention that wages in Florida are STILL depressed and not reflective of how costly it has become to live there.

Depressing.

I would hate to think that, as a native Floridian, I have been priced out of Florida in the last 10 years!

And yes, there are places with higher property taxes than Florida (Cali, NY, NJ, etc.) but at least in those places you are getting a PERFECT CLIMATE (Cali) or GREAT SCHOOLS (NY/NJ). In Florida you are getting neither.

I can see why people are leaving Florida "in droves." It is becoming only for the rich or the poor. Sadly, that is what is happening to the whole country, I think.

Sorry, but anyone living in a $500,000 house has no reason to be complaining about anything. Why not be grateful for what you have.

And for the record, there are many states with cheaper houses with MUCH higher taxes - Texas and Wisconsin are two of them, but you couldn't pay me to live in either one. I am content with my little $175,000 house here.

[Retiredcoach]

Originally Posted by Mike Peterson

Have you taken the time to research the property taxes in other locales.
I know of many areas that the property taxes are higher and some of those also have a state income tax.

Mike,

I've read your posts often and can appreciate how open and forthright that you try to be.... as far as your occupation will allow. The problem that I see with Florida (more so than just about any other state) is that the property tax is skewed to protect the long time resident and exorbitantly wealthy landowner at the expense of anyone else looking to buy. I will pay more so that my neighbor will pay less! The person with the $145000 house will pay a whole lot less in taxes than I will if I were to buy it from her... that is kind of the "Florida" rule of property taxes... truly unique to your state.

I have often considered buying a home in Florida myself (for the sunshine and beaches). Anyone retiring today to Florida has to look at the exponentially higher purchasing costs (the taxes, insurances, generally overpriced housing, HOA's everywhere, etc.). The lack of a state income tax is a moot point... In Florida, most do not make enough (relative to most northern states) that they would not pay much in state income taxes... except for those who could most afford it. Retirees would not pay any state income tax wherever they lived.

Anyone doing research before buying a Florida home will share that your state is a very expensive place to buy.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by sunnygurl

My taxes on a 500k house in Virginia are 3k. Yes, there is a state income tax, but even with the state income tax, living in a 500k house in Florida would be more expensive, when you factor in not only the tripling of my property taxes but also the tripling (at least) of my homeowners insurance and the doubling (at least) of my auto insurance. Not to mention that wages in Florida are STILL depressed and not reflective of how costly it has become to live there.

Depressing.

I would hate to think that, as a native Floridian, I have been priced out of Florida in the last 10 years!

And yes, there are places with higher property taxes than Florida (Cali, NY, NJ, etc.) but at least in those places you are getting a PERFECT CLIMATE (Cali) or GREAT SCHOOLS (NY/NJ). In Florida you are getting neither.

I can see why people are leaving Florida "in droves." It is becoming only for the rich or the poor. Sadly, that is what is happening to the whole country, I think.

Did you take into account that the median price is about 30% higher in VA?

If you base taxes on the median for each state VA prop.taxes would be around $1500 and Florida prop taxes would be around $3200.

Now add the $2900 in state income tax in VA

Then add an extra $300 for Fl car insurance and $1000 extra for home owners

You come out with a difference of around $100

So no discernable difference.

Now if you look at the cost of living for everything else you will find Fl is going to be lower than VA in many instances.
Gas prices for example, I went to the EPA's page and clicked on the first area for each state.
The average for Alexandria was $3.449 and for Daytona was $3.339.
Even if you only drove 10,000 miles a year that would be $1,100 more a year.

Now lets move on to great climate, that is not arguable and should be left out of the equation. What is great to some is terrible to others. You could not pay me to live anywhere it gets near 0 degrees or snows.

You bring up great schools. You need to compare apples to apples. If I lived in a house in NYC that cost $250,000 the schools in that neighborhood would not come close to comparing to the schools in a neighborhood with $250,000 homes in Florida. Of course I could live on Long Island in a $800,000 house and have great schools but you could live in Palm Harbor here and live in a $500,000 house and have great schools.

Now one final thing. I wish people would keep saying that people are leaving Florida in droves.Floridas population increased last year as always just not as much as it has in the past.
To say people are leaving in droves is false.

[Davachka]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Sorry, but anyone living in a $500,000 house has no reason to be complaining about anything. Why not be grateful for what you have.

And for the record, there are many states with cheaper houses with MUCH higher taxes - Texas and Wisconsin are two of them, but you couldn't pay me to live in either one. I am content with my little $175,000 house here.

Sorry, your posts typically seem helpful, but this one is absurd. Just because a person lives in a 500K house, they are not allowed to complain? How does that make her ungrateful- stating the facts that taxes are high? I have heard that from those who live in all income ranges, and its not fair to say that only people living in a certain income range have the right to complain.

We are very grateful for the home we have found in FL and are purchasing, but that does not change the fact that our taxes are extremely high! We will also be paying 12,000 annually which is crazy!
We have found the insurance rates are not too bad, as long as you shop around, and we are living on the bay.
Also, if you shop around we found car insurance that is comparable to what we pay now.

Yes, it costs more in FL, but it costs more anywhere beautiful with ocean access in my opinion.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by Retiredcoach

Mike,

I've read your posts often and can appreciate how open and forthright that you try to be.... as far as your occupation will allow. The problem that I see with Florida (more so than just about any other state) is that the property tax is skewed to protect the long time resident and exorbitantly wealthy landowner at the expense of anyone else looking to buy. I will pay more so that my neighbor will pay less! The person with the $145000 house will pay a whole lot less in taxes than I will if I were to buy it from her... that is kind of the "Florida" rule of property taxes... truly unique to your state.

I have often considered buying a home in Florida myself (for the sunshine and beaches). Anyone retiring today to Florida has to look at the exponentially higher purchasing costs (the taxes, insurances, generally overpriced housing, HOA's everywhere, etc.). The lack of a state income tax is a moot point... In Florida, most do not make enough (relative to most northern states) that they would not pay much in state income taxes... except for those who could most afford it. Retirees would not pay any state income tax wherever they lived.

Anyone doing research before buying a Florida home will share that your state is a very expensive place to buy.

I supported doing away with property taxes and increasing the sales tax.
Unfortuantely this did not fly but they have passed another proposal to help lower the taxes.

It isn't a great system and it is too high but when people make it out as if you are going to pay your whole paycheck in taxes here yet claim to have such low cost elsewhere I just need to point out the problems with their figures.

VA median income is about $10,000 higher than Fl but median home prices in VA are about $100,000 higher.

I try not to let opinion creep into my posts too much, I would rather post figures and let people decide for themselves.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by faina00

Sorry, your posts typically seem helpful, but this one is absurd. Just because a person lives in a 500K house, they are not allowed to complain? How does that make her ungrateful- stating the facts that taxes are high? I have heard that from those who live in all income ranges, and its not fair to say that only people living in a certain income range have the right to complain.

We are very grateful for the home we have found in FL and are purchasing, but that does not change the fact that our taxes are extremely high! We will also be paying 12,000 annually which is crazy!
We have found the insurance rates are not too bad, as long as you shop around, and we are living on the bay.
Also, if you shop around we found car insurance that is comparable to what we pay now.

Yes, it costs more in FL, but it costs more anywhere beautiful with ocean access in my opinion.

Well, it struck a nerve with me. Many of us live in Florida in far less expensive homes than that, and I am one of them. If one can afford a $500,000 home, then they should be able to afford what comes with it. Those of us who live here pay what it costs because we want to be here. And I really, really hate when people start throwing out the line that "people are leaving Florida in droves." That is is 100% untrue.

I had promised myself I was not going to respond to any threads that "pushed my buttons" and I made a mistake and responded to this one, but it will be the last time. Maybe it's time for me to step back from this forum again for awhile.

[seeriously]

I have a house worth $500,000 and we pay $4,600 taxes. In Northern VA we paid over $6,000 and in Chicago we paid $7,000. Florida is a bargain.