Question for those who moved to Maine (schools, property taxes)

[Zymer]

Wannabe, here you go:

Maine Revenue Services: Property Tax -

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by mainewannabe

That's outrageous, really. They must do assessments there with no caps like we hve in FL. They cap it at 3% a year. THey do not reassess in FL, only when the house is sold. Maine could have the same deal if it were only on the ballot. No homestead exemption, either???

We do however have a large selection of other programs which each reduce the property taxes.

'Open space', 'Farm', 'Treegrowth', are each programs that lock in the property assessment at a lower level.

There is a program called 'Circuit breaker' I think, which also gives a large reduction in property taxes. [we applied but did not qualify, as my pension income is too high]. Your tax bill must exceed 4% of your income.

There is a reduction for disabled vets.

I can't really see reducing our $47 bill to much more though.

[msina]

There is a rent and tax rebate program. There is also a Homestead exemption.
Maine Revenue Services: Property Tax -
(per Zymer) thank you

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Parrotpaul

There were no anchovies or sardines (pretty much unique to Greece). They put on ham slices and salami slices. My wife is a vegetarian, and it was too funny when they brought the salad. They figured they could rectify the problem by having her simply remove the meat. She sent it back and opted for the cheese pizza.

It was when they first opened in Scarborough. I really doubt anyone in the place has the slighest clue what exactly is in a Greek salad. Even though some Greek salads do use anchovies or sardines, I have never seen them used in this country.

We got hooked on using anchovy paste while living in Italy.

They put anchovy in spaghetti, and it is wonderful. I thought it was weird at first, but they use it like just another spice.

[forest beekeeper]

My DW says that we did get the 'homestead exemption' on our property last year.

But that we were refused for the 'Circuit breaker' program.

I was mistaken when I first wrote that

[msina]

I have been granted the rent refund in the past. It usually came out to a months rent.

[WhoFanMe]

Everybody is entitled to the Homestead Exemption, regardless of income or property value. Unfortunately you have to apply for it at the town hall (many have the application online at their web site). The average homeowner saves about $100 a year on their property taxes and you'd be surprised how many sellers I work with or those that sell to my buyers who do NOT take advantage of this program!

[mainewannabe]

Originally Posted by Zymer

Wannabe, here you go:

Maine Revenue Services: Property Tax -

zymer: THANK YOU.



Bydand !!! Good luck, I DO remember you saying that from some prior reading. There's so many folks here I like ..... but you stand out as one that's a keeper. I forgot where you are going but you're making it sound mighty attractive. I hope it's all for you and your wife and loved ones ....

Speaking of keepers:

forest .... I DO notice that some towns have a wee tax (even when we're not lucky enough to go out in the unincorp as you have done) ... sometimes I notice that it looks like someone has taken that house and carved it away from it's land. (tiny little bit of property less than a half acre)

As though it's been purchased and well, now THIS part could be my vivid imagination but it's almost as though they've shifted the tax onto whatever person might buy that home (can't imagine who will on less than a half acre but I'm sure there's some that think different) and therefore relegated the land that once accompanied the home to a different and/or perhaps or perhaps not lower tax bracket??
Notice anything like that or is it just a feeling I get??
Here they've done some eeeky stuff. It's the opposite because this IS a town and so anyone with a 'double' lot is sitting pretty. Outsiders (LOL) have come and bought the home and subdivided so instead of a house with a nice piece of yard there are now two mcmansions with meager yards if any. It's very sad and not very attractive.
I think I'm just going to have to come up and go town by town until one says ... HERE YOU ARE.

[mainewannabe]

LOL !!!! I hope you never fall behind. If you do I'll lend you the fifty bucks to keep you from going to the tax auction ~~~ LOL

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

We do however have a large selection of other programs which each reduce the property taxes.

'Open space', 'Farm', 'Treegrowth', are each programs that lock in the property assessment at a lower level.

There is a program called 'Circuit breaker' I think, which also gives a large reduction in property taxes. [we applied but did not qualify, as my pension income is too high]. Your tax bill must exceed 4% of your income.

There is a reduction for disabled vets.

I can't really see reducing our $47 bill to much more though.

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by mainewannabe

LOL !!!! I hope you never fall behind. If you do I'll lend you the fifty bucks to keep you from going to the tax auction ~~~ LOL

LOL

I agree. For anyone who does fall behind in their taxes, life sucks.

Though to my understanding, anywhere that you own property in America, you will still need to pay property taxes.

So if you are going to have to pay taxes, no matter what state you live in, why not live in an area with really low property taxes?

Granted fall behind and life would still get really bad.

I would hope that falling behind with the Maine level of taxation would be much harder to do than if we lived in a high tax state.