Taxes and acreage (Cleveland, Lakewood: how much, neighborhood, buy)

[InSandy]

Hi, what really is the deal with property taxes. How much would you expect to pay for a 2600 sq ft home?
And will it go up with more land?
Why do people want an acre of land anyway? What do they do with it?

There is a small possibility we could be moving to the area and I just am looking and wondering.

[JR_C]

I'm not in the Cleveland area, but I do know that taxes vary from location to location too much to answer the first part of your question without being more specific about the location. Property taxes can vary from county to county, and within a county, each school district will have its own additional property taxes. And, on top of that, the town/city might have a property tax.

Taxes for a property are calculated from the sum of the "market land value" and "market improved value." The "market land value" is just the value the county gives the land. So, more land area would equal more value. But, this is just a small part of the total value. Most of the total value comes from the "market improved value." This is the value the county gives the improvements made to the land; anything built on it.

[xanthines]

JR_C is pretty spot on. As for specific rates, it depends on where you live and can effectively be anywhere from about 1% to 3% from what I can tell. Unfortunately, I'm in the 3% neighborhood!

[InSandy]

Thank you. I figured as much about the taxes being unable to really say. So I'm assuming a realtor would have access to property tax amounts?

I'm looking in Lake County and it seems like everyone has an acre or more. What do they do with that much? Grow gardens? have horses? plant it in grass and cut it every week?

[Peregrine]

Originally Posted by InSandy

I'm looking in Lake County and it seems like everyone has an acre or more. What do they do with that much? Grow gardens? have horses? plant it in grass and cut it every week?

I find this a very odd question. Some people like to have a large chunk of land. We are all different.
With a large chunk of land, some people have ponds. Some have gardens. Some have a little section of woods, like my friend that has 3 acres.
Some just simply like not being right next to the neighbors.
There are many reasons to want a large piece of land.

[JR_C]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

I find this a very odd question. Some people like to have a large chunk of land. We are all different.
With a large chunk of land, some people have ponds. Some have gardens. Some have a little section of woods, like my friend that has 3 acres.
Some just simply like not being right next to the neighbors.
There are many reasons to want a large piece of land.

The urban vs. suburban vs. rural issue seems to be very popular and contentious on City-Data. I find the lack of understanding on all sides of the issue hard to understand.

I wouldn't want such a huge piece of land either. But I can understand why some people do prefer that.

BTW, property tax information is available to the public. Just go to the auditor's website (Lake County, Ohio: Online Auditor - Home) and search for the property you're interested in. (realtors do this, too)

[Peregrine]

Originally Posted by JR_C

The urban vs. suburban vs. rural issue seems to be very popular and contentious on City-Data. I find the lack of understanding on all sides of the issue hard to understand.

Ah. I was unaware of that.

"Why would anyone want to live on 1+ acre of land" though just seems to be an odd question.

That's like asking:
"Why do people buy red cars?"
-or-
"Why do people vacation in *insert area here*?"

Personally I wish my little lot was even smaller. I hate yard work.
I almost miss my postage stamp lot that I had in Lakewood. Almost...

[InSandy]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

"Why would anyone want to live on 1+ acre of land" though just seems to be an odd question.

Well, in the SLC area where I am from if you get more than a quarter acre usually it is because you want to do something with it....horses, farm, cows, orchards etc. It is a new concept to me to have more land than you can use just to have it.


And thanks so much for the tax website. Very helpful!!!

[Peregrine]

People do that here, too. I have another friend that bought land in PA to hunt on.

Sorry, not familiar with the term SLC??!!?

[InSandy]

SLC=Salt Lake City