Property taxes : Please help!! (New York, Monroe: for sale, house prices, neighborhoods)

[Northeastcouple]

After all the time I spend looking at places to live , Im getting reasonably good at determining house prices ,and decent neighborhoods but still no clue regarding property taxes...

I know there are a bunch of similar posts, but also a lot of conflicting data..I used to just look at houses for sale that listed current taxes, but now Im hearing that when you buy a home the numbers that the last guy payed are irelevent ..HELP!!!!!!

[Sgoldie]

This can be complicated. When looking at taxes posted in listings you have to make sure that the full amount is stated not including any veterans exemptions or star program (homestead) exemptions.

Assessments are done locally by municipalities on no particular timetable. To be safe you should anticipate paying in tax whatever the local tax rates for (city, county, town, and other special assessments, plus school) times whatever you paid for the house. You may get away for a year paying whatever the previous owners had been paying, possibly longer, or maybe not at all. You'll need to find out the tax rates for each house's particular area and circumstance which a realtor should be able to provide. You also need to question whether there will be any forseeable future assessments as in the case when a new sewer or water line is first put into a neighborhood.

[ocnymonty]

It depends on the municipality. I purchased my house in April 2008 and my property tax assessment remains unchanged. I'll pay 3% more than the previous owner did last year... but that was the voted upon increase.

[Jeromeville]

I laughed so hard when I read the title of this thread. "Property Taxes - Please HELP!!!" is the cry of virtually every New York State resident!

[jpicard]

Originally Posted by Jeromeville

I laughed so hard when I read the title of this thread. "Property Taxes - Please HELP!!!" is the cry of virtually every New York State resident!

Exactly. I have lived here all my life and do not want to leave, but seems I am being forced out due to NY counties having the highest property taxes in the nation.

Property Tax on Owner-Occupied Housing, by County, Ranked by Property Taxes as a Percentage of Home Value*, 2005-2007 Average http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/24051.html

Property Tax on Owner-Occupied Housing, by County, Ranked by Property Taxes Paid*, 2005-2007 Average
http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/24052.html

[LINative]

Originally Posted by jpicard

Exactly. I have lived here all my life and do not want to leave, but seems I am being forced out due to NY counties having the highest property taxes in the nation.

Property Tax on Owner-Occupied Housing, by County, Ranked by Property Taxes as a Percentage of Home Value*, 2005-2007 Average http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/24051.html

Property Tax on Owner-Occupied Housing, by County, Ranked by Property Taxes Paid*, 2005-2007 Average
The Tax Foundation - Property Tax on Owner-Occupied Housing, by County, Ranked by Property Taxes Paid*, 2005-2007 Average

Many western states have strong county governments (and thus taxes lol) but then have limited local government (weak towns and no villages). The New England states have the opposite - strong towns with weak or non existent county governments.

Here in New York --- we have both! Our towns are like New Englands and essentially act like small cities. But we also have strong counties - especially in the more built up areas like Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Monroe, Erie etc and they act like Metropolitian districts.


But then there is the ...... schools.

[piperspal]

Northeastcouple, I wish I had encouraging words for you. I love NY state & have lived here for 25+ years.
I do not know if I will be able to stay. Our taxes - it seems () go up at the drop of a political hat.

I have been trying to choose between staying in NY or hiking to greener pastures...now it seems the choice might be made for me. As much as I am no fan of a northeast winter, I could stay if only the taxes weren't such an issue. Assessments arrive in the mail with barely any time to challenge them; and they rarely get much of a reduction when you do.

Sad... such a pretty state, so much to do, great people....all gonna suffer the tax man.

[smalltownusa]

Just spent a good part of the evening reading a magazine about the best places to retire in the country and not once does a NY town/city or even a NE state appear .. All southern and western cities

And the places that we are interested in have homes that are taxed a 1/3 of what we presently pay in taxes on an average home in upstate

Plan on being out of NY in three years....hope we're not the last ones out

[piperspal]

Originally Posted by smalltownusa

Plan on being out of NY in three years....hope we're not the last ones out

Please hold the door for me; I'm right behind ya!

[tambre]

We've been trying to move, but it's a difficult market to sell in...reason...taxes