If You Live In KS and Pay Property Tax (Overland Park: sales, real estate)

[Mattks]

You said the property taxes on a $25K house was $2k. That’s a staggering 12.5% property tax rate. My house is 1.5%. The highest I’ve ever seen is still under 2% (in Kansas)and that was a brand new house in a new subdivision that had a “special” tax on it. Perhaps that $25K house is actually zoned commercially? Even then, that doesn’t seem right.

Even if that is somehow true, which there is no way it is. It’s not at all normal and why use that as an example of what property taxes are like in Kansas. I just looked at a few $25-30K homes here in Topeka and the property taxes are around $300. There simply isn’t going to be that big of a difference.

[KSinmyrearviewmirror]

Property appraisals were protested in Kansas long before the advent of home computers. My wife worked for the McPherson County Appraiser, 1986-92.

AFAIK, the appraisal notice is always accompanied by written instructions on filling an appeal of the appraised value. I would caution you that some Kansans willingly pay property taxes to support their county, township, roads, schools, libraries, & many other things viewed as "civic reponsiblities." IF they chose to accept their evaluation doesn't = ignorance; nor any interest in discussing their views on taxation.

I'm not sure, but did you bring up ALABAMA in this discussion, or does AL = Allen County? I'm not sure Alabama is a comparable to Kansas; at least I hope not!

[Mattks]

I think the OP is considering a move to Alabama and that’s why he made the comparison. I know nothing about Alabama so won’t comment on that part of the discussion.

[KSinmyrearviewmirror]

Originally Posted by Mattks

I think the OP is considering a move to Alabama and that’s why he made the comparison. I know nothing about Alabama so won’t comment on that part of the discussion.

I believe the OP is a "she":

I looked at several properties being familiar with Geary County (lived there for 8 years) and husband is from there, and it was obvious what they are doing. I know who they are exploiting doing this, it is just too bad too. As I said, I fought them in Geary, in Bourbon and in Lyon and won.

Bourbon -> Geary -> Lyon -> Alabama IMHO that's not what the Jefferson's called "movin' on up." If anywhere else has a military spouse, I could fathom Geary & Alabama; but then the military don't always get their pick of locations. Maybe recruiter?

I'm not particularly surprised she thinks she's "won." What with: As I assured the appraiser yesterday when I spoke with her, I am well aware of the way it is supposed to be, and the way the counties do it, IF the people let them get away with it! I'm sure she's made a lot of friends, currently & in the future, with county appraisers.

IF every KS property owner got their appraiser to lower their evaluation, wouldn't that = budget shortfalls & having to raise property levies to remediate?

As I recall, Kansas required all counties to review property mapping in ~ 1986. My wife, a cartographer, was hired by McPherson County to oversee the contract for digitizing maps => resulting in a geographic information system (GIS). Few counties digitized then; but have since, Riley Co for example:

County and City Boundaries
Ownership Parcels
Street Centerlines
Zoning Districts
Parks and Trails
Water & Sanitary Sewer Networks
Political Jurisdictions
Aerial Photographic Images
Address Points


Best States Rankings
Measuring outcomes for citizens using more than 60 metrics

#47 Alabama

#28 Kansas

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings

I've run across anywhereelse's comments all over C-D, she/he has made 3700 comments in < year, since 01-16-2017. Predominantly re: illegals/liberals Who listens to what they scream anymore? I just shake my head at anything the liberals come up with anymore and say to my husband "Another nail in the coffin that is the Democratic Party!"

[misnomed]

Smaller towns are more expensive sometimes if still running a school system...but also see some rural areas ACTUALLY valuing livable and even nice basic housing at $12k home value even if in nicely kept up condition. Looks like no one ever reassessed the home values from 1970s. Can be way of screwing poorer into having hard time getting loans to keep up property once you cannot perform repairs or maintenance yourself.

I would say city home at $80k value would be $1100 taxes probably.

Topeka does have an affordable housing purchase situation in a lot of areas starting to get a bit shabby and run down after the elders went to nursing care and slumlords purchased too many properties. All property values dropped. REALLY DO RECOMMEND YOU WALK AROUND NEIGHBORHOOD ON WEEKENDS BEFORE YOU PURCHASE TO SEE HOW RESIDENTS TREAT A STRANGER. If you get a group of kids threatening you which happens in Topeka, just say "I'm just visiting" and leave. This means area won't be safe for you to live there...can sometimes work near this behavior. But Topeka is safer housing situation than most of KC and low prices...but need to know this happens and what happens for buying near this kind of behavior from the kids will scare the military away from Leavenworth neighborhoods but jail prisoners are stuck. Area isn't okay for you if you get treated to this but only find it out walking neighborhood for a few blocks before looking at housing to purchase or rent. If landlording, you will have high vacancy rate and eventually these neighborhoods go to the drug addicts/dealers anyway and abandoned by almost all else. The OK renters abandon these quickly, even the military as after the threats from groups of kids the trespassing, vandals, thieves and threats of harm start. Cops just allow this to happen to whole areas and let drugs take over whole place.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Okey Dokie

I know I’m a Missourian and shouldn’t be here, but property taxes are a particular pet peeve of mine. According to this https://www.jocogov.org/sites/defaul...stract%203.pdf the levy for the Olathe School District is $71.17 and Shawnee Mission is $53.66. That’s a considerable difference, in my opinion.

That's because Olathe is growing like crazy while Shawnee Mission is in general more in a gentrifying mode.

New schools cost money.

I saw the same stuff going on in the western burbs of Chicago.

[Mathguy]

My property taxes are about 1.5% of what I can sell my house for. JOCO.

The chicago burbs I used to live in are more typically 2-3%.

Wisconsin where my relatives live....even higher than that.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

That's because Olathe is growing like crazy while Shawnee Mission is in general more in a gentrifying mode.

New schools cost money.

I saw the same stuff going on in the western burbs of Chicago.

Again,Overland Park is growing faster in percentage terms than Olathe. Overland Park has a larger commercial tax base, therefore a lower property tax rate.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Again,Overland Park is growing faster in percentage terms than Olathe. Overland Park has a larger commercial tax base, therefore a lower property tax rate.

Depends on your timeframe. I agree it's a complex issue however.

Since say...1970-2014....Olathe has gone from 18k to 133k or about 8-9x growth.

OVP has gone from 70k+ to 180k+.

Considering schools like Olathe east were built <1960. *shrug*

Newer areas also have more basic long-term infrastructure builds like sewer, road and so forth if you're talking general property tax levels and not just the school charge.

Not to mention the fact that the SM school district incorporates a different area than just Overland Park.

[Mattks]

Originally Posted by KSinmyrearviewmirror

I believe the OP is a "she":

I looked at several properties being familiar with Geary County (lived there for 8 years) and husband is from there, and it was obvious what they are doing. I know who they are exploiting doing this, it is just too bad too. As I said, I fought them in Geary, in Bourbon and in Lyon and won.
/I]

It was a typo on my part, I meant she, not he. I’m going to ignore the rest of the post and don’t know what it has to do with anything. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I’m not going to bring up other random posts from around the forum by other members.