Property Taxes (Conway: sales, house, buying)

[chicy724]

I am contemplating purchasing property, probably not for a few more years (give time to save 20% down!) and am wondering what the average tax rate is. I think I just saw what my town (Conway, NH) would be and it is $15.34/thou, down from $15.49, so no big change from '06 but it going down seems great since they just built a new High School, right.. unless that won't be calculated until 2008!

I feel that home prices and prop taxes are very high in NH and almost seem out of reach for me. I have contemplated moving to NC (home prices, taxes and college costs are so low!) but the taxes really get me there, Income Tax, Sales Tax... but the property taxes and other taxes are less, significantly.

Just wondering if I think this is high because I am young and naive, and never paid taxes since I currently rent.. or if that is normal, or low for the state

[vter]

Property taxes are high because there is no sales tax or income tax in NH...the state needs to make money somehow!

[rmcewan]

Actually, you should check property tax rates elsewhere. Many places have rates as high or higher than typical for NH. I came from L.A, and while the tax rate was lower ($10/1000), the home prices meant that the person buying my old house will be paying almost twice as much as I do now. L.A and CA have a billion other taxes unlike NH.

[LoveSnow]

In TX there's no state property tax. Yet, local taxes a higher than in NH. $30 per $1000 of home value - easy! Prices are lower, true for most areas. But the tax itself is high. Where we are now, we are looking to spend the same on a house as we would in NH, the tax will be higher than in any of NH towns on my list. And what will I get? Oh, don't even get me started...

Add 8.25% sales tax.

NH is rated to have the second lowest overall tax burden (after WY). May be third, because of Alaska. So really, I'd rather pay one tax and see it working locally, than 10 different ones that seem lower, but do add up and end up whoknowswhere.