Easiest way to determine property taxes for prospective home buyer? (agents, sales)

[ExcellentFudge]

I am in the position where I might be buying a home in the next three years. I am studying the costs of buying and owning a house right now. One thing that seems obscured to me is municipal taxes and school taxes. Is it simply a matter of calling the town halls of the areas I am interested in buying and asking for property tax info, or can I go online to check or do I have to fill out paperwork in person at each town hall?

[FalconheadWest]

Go to the county website of the area you're in and it'll break down the different tax entities.

[chet everett]

The MLS will have the current tax info as well. Real estate agents can help you understand how tax assessments change LOCALLY based on sales data.

[middle-aged mom]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

Go to the county website of the area you're in and it'll break down the different tax entities.

There are about 3086 counties in the U.S.
Not all counties have this information available, online.
Some counties charge a access fee for online information.

Property taxes also depend on the individual townships and school districts within the same county.

Underfunded public employee pension plans are going to challenge many municipalities and thus taxpayers, going forward. Pay attention to this.

[craigcardella]

Property taxes vary, for example, in Florida they are about 1.25% of market value. Some qualify for a homestead exemption which will help. Value is set by actual sales of similar properties within the tax year.
You can check actual taxes yourself. IT"S EASY. Simply write down the address of a similar property. Google the County Tax Collector web site, type in the address and see what the actual taxes are.Moderator cut: no advertising