School, MUD, and property taxes? (Houston, Katy: foreclosure, rent, townhouse)

[Tasksgirl]

I own a townhouse in L.A. purchased for 150k and pay about 2,000 a year in property taxes. Am I right in thinking that the same priced house in Houston (lets say a suburb such as Cinco Ranch at about 3%) would be 4,500 in property taxes, 4,500 in school taxes AND 500 in MUD taxes????

If this is true then sadly I may be better off in California

[cheryjohns]

No, about $4500 total. The WHOLE tax rate would be $3 per hundred. Some subdivisions are less than that - some more. There isn't much in the way of townhomes in Cinco - mostly large homes. If you bought a ranch home in West Memorial in Lower Katy, the tax rate is $2.69 per hundred - for the entire tax package. It's older than Cinco proper - but the homes are smaller and would fit that budget.

[jtothemak]

Remember there is no state income tax here. The Government gets their money one way or another. No State Income Tax = Higher Property Tax and visa versa. But yes your taxes would be about $4500 minus homestead exemption and once you reach the age of 65 you get another exemption.

We moved here from Cali back in August, cost of living is cheaper too. Gas and Food are cheaper an there are not five million individual taxes like Cali. You buy a TV in Cali you pay an extra disposal fee, in Texas no fee.

On a side note how the heck did you buy a decent place for $150k in LA? A decent area cheapest we ever saw was 350k and it was nothing fancy to live in a decent area.

[crone]

Originally Posted by jtothemak

Remember there is no state income tax here. The Government gets their money one way or another. No State Income Tax = Higher Property Tax and visa versa. But yes your taxes would be about $4500 minus homestead exemption and once you reach the age of 65 you get another exemption.

We moved here from Cali back in August, cost of living is cheaper too. Gas and Food are cheaper an there are not five million individual taxes like Cali. You buy a TV in Cali you pay an extra disposal fee, in Texas no fee.

On a side note how the heck did you buy a decent place for $150k in LA? A decent area cheapest we ever saw was 350k and it was nothing fancy to live in a decent area.

I think the governor signed a bill for fees for tv disposal. Could be the sellers are just building it into their price.
Those discarded tv's and old computers end up in China and come back to us in the form of children's toys and cheap jewelry. We will pay for tv disposal either through fees or children's health. Take your pick.

[jtothemak]

Originally Posted by crone

I think the governor signed a bill for fees for tv disposal. Could be the sellers are just building it into their price.
Those discarded tv's and old computers end up in China and come back to us in the form of children's toys and cheap jewelry. We will pay for tv disposal either through fees or children's health. Take your pick.

Cali has some tax, I forget what it is called. But there is a tax or extra fee on anything and everything that can potential harm the environment. Heck buy a car there are like 5 extra stickers on the car about how harmful all the parts and fluids are to the environment.

[EasilyAmused]

You could get a townhouse in Uptown, on Bering or Augusta,for 150k and have 2.6 taxes, without a MUD, and be able to resell the thing when you had to.

Why buy a townhouse that far away from the core? Especially some area so underdeveloped it has MUD taxes.

[cheryjohns]

What is not being discussed are the very high water bills that people not living in a MUD area are paying. My water bill never got over $60, even with excessive watering during the drought. I have heard of outrageous water bills for those using the City of Houston water.

[EasilyAmused]

I've lived in a mud and not in a mud. drought and not in a drought.

MUD taxes on the rent home I had were 3300 a year.........granted, minimal monthly around a 60 -120 bill a month.
I don't think I hit that ever annually in a home,in a NON-Drought year, within COH. This year probably tied the cost with the taxes of the MUD taxes, but then you have to add in the monthly cost...MUD loses hands down

A TOWNHOUSE ISN'T GOING TO WORRY ABOUT WATERING FEES, so why would you elect to pay a tax?

[jdw7337]

Seeing this makes me feel better about living on the opposite side of Houston(Barbers Hill)-There's no MUD Tax in my county & my school tax, one of the lowest rates compared to neighboring districts, ends on your 65th birthday.

But, like Cinco Ranch, there are very few town homes to come by & our single detached homes are very pricey.

[Tasksgirl]

Ah ok got it. I thought the school tax was in addition. That's much more reasonable I guess.
I'm not looking for a townhome here, I want a real house this time

To the one who asked, how I got my home at that price: (1) it was a foreclosure (2) it's on the borderline between a nice and not-so-nice area in the valley (3) it needed a bit of work. The location being the main reason it was so cheap.