Property Taxes (Gilford, Alton: house, buyers, land)

[30apples]

here is a related NH tax question : What is a "VIEW" in terms of the "view" tax on houses in nh???? If any one of your windows looks out upon a pleasant "view" like your garden, your neighbors' garden, a park, pond, creek,. or stand of shrubs/trees,etc., is that a "VIEW" which would be taxed? And is it the local assessor who decides if your "view" requires a view tax? I guess that would be the case, but suppose that some could say it was a bit subjective. Does anyone on this site have to pay a view tax and if so, what is the amount? Thank you.

[daniellefort]

You also pay higher taxes if your less than 1 mile from a school. $4000 in taxes on $125,000.

[30apples]

Gee-- that's way too high on a $125,000 house!! What town is that in?

[Sporin]

Originally Posted by 30apples

here is a related NH tax question : What is a "VIEW" in terms of the "view" tax on houses in nh???? If any one of your windows looks out upon a pleasant "view" like your garden, your neighbors' garden, a park, pond, creek,. or stand of shrubs/trees,etc., is that a "VIEW" which would be taxed? And is it the local assessor who decides if your "view" requires a view tax? I guess that would be the case, but suppose that some could say it was a bit subjective. Does anyone on this site have to pay a view tax and if so, what is the amount? Thank you.

I believe it's mountain and valley views, not just "any pleasant landscape." But that's sort of the problem, it's completely subjective.

The View Tax is another example of how NH's state motto is a big fat lie.

[rmcewan]

Originally Posted by Sporin

I believe it's mountain and valley views, not just "any pleasant landscape." But that's sort of the problem, it's completely subjective.

The View Tax is another example of how NH's state motto is a big fat lie.

The view tax is another example of a non-issue stirred up by the media. There is no tax on view, there is tax on a property's value as assessed by the town, and that is based on local real-estate market values. View, water frontage, school closeness and quality, construction quality, state of repair, etc. all play into the market value.

A 4 bedroom house next to the municipal landfill is going to be worth less than a 2-bed cottage on the Lake Winnipesaukee waterfront.

If you're complaining about "view tax" you're really just complaining about the massive increases in real-estate values over the last decade. And if that's the case, then join the line the rest of the country is already in.

[30apples]

rmcewan: Well, that puts it in perspective, though I don't think most places I've lived in take into consideration a house's proximity to a good school in the house's value. Though I suppose that it in fact does make a house less or more valuable to some, not all, buyers. Thanks for your post.

[rmcewan]

Originally Posted by 30apples

rmcewan: Well, that puts it in perspective, though I don't think most places I've lived in take into consideration a house's proximity to a good school in the house's value. Though I suppose that it in fact does make a house less or more valuable to some, not all, buyers. Thanks for your post.

The "average" home buyer in the USA is a family with 2 children. That's why schools are a significant part of market value.

If a particular area has consistently "good" schools, it becomes less of a factor. However, in NH, with schools principally paid for by towns there are large variations in school quality within small geographical areas.

(I quote "good" because I think these purely statistical-based evaluations we have these days are only a starting point. There's far more to a good school than good scores. Do you want to go to the best school in the district only to find out they're the "best" because every kid slaves 4hrs a night on homework?).

[Sporin]

Originally Posted by rmcewan

The view tax is another example of a non-issue stirred up by the media. There is no tax on view, there is tax on a property's value as assessed by the town, and that is based on local real-estate market values. View, water frontage, school closeness and quality, construction quality, state of repair, etc. all play into the market value.

A 4 bedroom house next to the municipal landfill is going to be worth less than a 2-bed cottage on the Lake Winnipesaukee waterfront.

If you're complaining about "view tax" you're really just complaining about the massive increases in real-estate values over the last decade. And if that's the case, then join the line the rest of the country is already in.

Good way to put it in perspective I suppose.

[paradiddle]

It is a non issue about view tax. I used to drive my motorcycle from Manchester through Dunbarton up a big hill on Rt 13. When I got up top it had a fabulous view of some valley in Goffstown,Weare ???? I'm sure that view/House is worth some bucks. If/when I win the Florida Lotto I will buy a second home in NH and live in FL and NH.


My uncle has a summer house in on the coast of Biddeford, Maine that he bought in the 60's. Actually he bought the lot and had a plain 2 story house built. The neighborhood has a lot of old yankee money. We used to camp on the beach with my grandfather and slept in the car before my uncle bought the lot.

He now pays over 10K per year in Prop tax because its on the coast. Same house with more land 1/2 mile inland would be about 2-3K in taxes. That is what the NH people would classify as a view tax. Total value of property. My uncle always complains about the tax but it has probably increased in value 3-4x what he paid. Probably sell it to some yuppie for over 1 Mil someday.

[12buttons]

IS there a list of prop tax for each county? I am sure they vary...