Berea Kentucky (Richmond, Brooks, Jackson: sales, mortgage, homes)

[suncoastman]

Hi Kichenwich....I want to thank you for your very detailed info in your last 2 posts. The descriptions you gave about the various areas had me feeling like I was there. I am anxious about my upcoming trip there to look at houses/land. I found 2 places, both on Muddy Creek South. # 908 & 725. I would be very happy to live in a rural area....I had a 70 acre farm when I lived in Ohio, & that is where I raised my 9 kids. So Muddy Creek South is called, "Jackson Hollow", huh? I like the fact that it runs behind the Madison County Game Reserve. Donna & I love animals. In Ohio, we had deer come right up to the house, & we had all kinds of wild game: plentiful Grouse, Pheasant, rabbits, Beaver, & Deer. There may have been more that I can't recall now.

I am still having a difficult time understanding the automobile registration process, however. After reading your explanation, it seems like I have to pay sales tax to Kentucky based on the price I paid for my car here in Florida. I ALREADY paid sales tax to Florida.....How can it be legal to retax me AGAIN? Am I missing something here? I called the Vehicle Registration & Licensing Dept. at 859.986.1460, & was advised that it would only cost me about $30.00 + or - for each of my cars. Now I am more confused. You said the vehicle tax is deductible from my Federal Income Tax, but my only income right now, is my Social Security. I normally don't have to pay any Federal Income Tax.

Thanks for the info on the Richmond Resister online newspaper. Do you know the name of the Berea newspaper ?

I'm very happy with the news re DSL/HIgh Speed Internet Access . I'm hoping to try an internet business....if things go right. I previously had 2 businesses online in the early 2000's, but they didn't consistently generate enough business. Such is life.

Donna & I had some good news today. We had 2 showings of our home. It just went into the MLS on Monday !

God Bless.

Joe

[Kichenwich]

Hi Joe,
The registration I was telling you about is our annual vehicle tax. In KY, we pay our registration fees in our birth month. Where your vehicles are coming in from out of state, the first time you register them with KY tags they will have to be inspected, which is the $30 they told you about. At least that's what several "newbies" from elsewhere had to do. I would just keep the purchase price receipts in case of a problem when registering the next year. We have had some problems with this ourselves.
If you are on SS or SSI, you won't have to file taxes (lucky you!). I was just giving you a heads-up on a deduction if you start your business and need a good deduction. The registration fees and vehicle tax we pay every year is now deductible from the federal return . It sure helps people like myself who happens to have several cars!
I know the exact two houses you are coming to see on Muddy Creek. Both are really nice houses! You and the misses are going to love them! I travel this road every Wed. and Sunday on the way to church. It is not unusual to see deer standing in the yards down this road. By the way, I would guess there is about 15-20 houses on this road. Sounds like alot, but they are spaced out over several miles. I think the worst problem "animal wise" in the area is raccoons and some skunks.
Have you been checking the Madison County Board of Realtors website? The address to it is www.mcbrhomes.com. There are new listings on there all the time. You can search by area, price, size, etc. Anything listed in the area with an MSL # will be on that website.
I am so happy that your showing went well! Maybe you all will have a quick sale, and get to move while we still have some winter left. I know that sounds kooky, but when you see the views you are going to have that the trees and leaves hide through the spring and summer, you'll understand.

Talk to you again soon! ~joanna~

[Kichenwich]

After looking back over the posts, I did not do a very good job explaining the tax. Sorry bout that! What I was referring to is the registration fee we pay every year, which is based on the value of the vehicle. The higher the value, the higher the registration. However, if you bought a vehicle for less than book value, you can show the receipt to the courthouse and have the annual tax on it lowered, which in turn lowers the annual registration fee. There is usually a one-time fee for inspection of out of state vehicles. My husband and I bought a little "cheap" car for our son to drive. We gave $500 for it in Richmond. When we went to register the car, the book value listed was like $3,000! I brought my receipt back to the courthouse, and had the taxable value lowered, which made the registration fee lower. Hope I didn't confuse you too bad....

[suncoastman]

Hi Joanna: I'm glad to know your real first name....it makes it more personal when we 'converse'. Donna & I are hoping our home sells quickly. It's not the Taj Mahal, but it is a nice place, in a sheltered community...around 1600 homes....with it's own road patrol & vol. fire dept. We are also covered by the county fire dept. too.

It is a 55+ community, with a great variety of people, & a lot of 'snowbirds', heated pool, tennis courts, horseshoe pits & a very active group of people....When Donna & I move to Kentucky, we will have the best of both worlds too...as we will go to Florida in Jan & Feb.and be 'snowbirds' ourselves.

After living here in sunny Florida for almost 17 years, Donna & I decided to be closer to our 11 children & 20 gradkids in Ohio & Michigan.....but far enough away so we don't get a lot of 'drop-ins'....hope that doesn't sound callous. I'm sure you know what I mean.

We are so thankful for all the very nice people we have met on this Forum...I'm sure this will translate to the same thing when we start a new chapter in our lives in beautiful Kentucky. We are both very outgoing people, we laugh a lot, are a little 'goofy', Love The Lord, & just want to enjoy our remaining golden years.

Thanks again for all your input....it is greatly appreciated.

Joe

[suncoastman]

Well...I finally got my info straightened out re the first time I register my auto in Kentucky, that was purchased & used in another State. I quote....

"Tax Credit to New Residents of KY -

When offering a vehicle for registration for the first time in Kentucky which was registered in another state that levied a tax substantially identical to Motor Vehicle Usage Tax, a credit against the Usage tax equal to the amount of tax paid to the other state will be granted. No credit shall be given for taxes paid in another state if that state does not grant similar credit to substantially identical taxes paid in Kentucky.

Proof of Tax Paid can be provided by one of the following:

- Registration documentation from previous state.

- Title document from previous state can be used if the tax amount paid to the other state is clearly identified.

- Purchase Contracts can be used if the tax amount paid to the other state is clearly identified. The Purchase Contract must list the names of the buyer and seller, the amount of tax collected and paid, and the identity of the vehicle being registered. This form must accompany the completed TC 96-182. Finance Contracts are not accepted. "

I thnk you all for trying to educate me in this matter.

Ah yes....Sunny Florida. Had frost on my windshield yesterday....in 70's today. You gotta love it, huh Kimmie ???

Joe

[kimmieyky]

Originally Posted by suncoastman

Ah yes....Sunny Florida. Had frost on my windshield yesterday....in 70's today. You gotta love it, huh Kimmie ???

Joe

Joe - you know I do!!! I'll take it!

You are going to love it here like I do - I just know it. BUT - my bones love Florida - no achey joints! lol!

Kimmiey

[fredalan]

Originally Posted by Kichenwich

The registration fees and vehicle tax we pay every year is now deductible from the federal return . It sure helps people like myself who happens to have several cars!

Is this for businesses, or private non-business citizens? Or both? Could you tell me where you obtained the information? I have searched the Ky Dept of Revenue and found nothing about this.

Thanks.

[suncoastman]

Hi everyone I conversed with previously.....Well, Donna & I are back from our trip to Berea and surrounding cities....We left Fl about 4:30 AM last Tuesday & got into Berea around 4:15PM that night. Had Sunny & clear weather all the way....even breezed through Atlanta without a hitch.

Starting Wednesday morning, we drove all over the area trying to find the many houses we found on the Internet.....after stopping at the Chamber of Commerce office & the old Train Depot. Even though we received several city maps, we had a hard time finding the streets we were looking for, as so many are newer & aren't listed on the older maps. Even talking to people who live in the area produced..." Don't know where that street is located. Got to learn some of the roads pretty good too...1016, 595, 1295, etc.

Although we knew nothing about the location of many of the places we were trying to find, by sheer determination & a lot of driving, we found most of them. Plus, we wound up calling a Real Estate firm, & talked to an extremely helpful fellow named John Reed. John was extremely gracious to us & treated us both in a very Christian & honest manner, & was very patient with our many questions & even drove us to see many houses in his own truck. Thank God for John, as we found the house of our dreams....but it's in Richmond !

We drove by so many places we thought were nice, but for 1 reason or another, decided the place was not as pictured (since the pictures don't show all the details of the location). We liked Muddy Creek road...after Donna got over her fear of the extremely steep & narrow portions) but found all 3 houses 'wanting', because of location or appearance or something else. We even found another house for sale there that was not on our list.

There were many, many houses we found we liked, but none "hit" us as did the one in Richmond. It has all the qualities we desire; 3 bed. 2 baths, 2 car attached garage, 1 acre of land,etc. etc. It's brand new....not even finished yet.... sits majestically on a hill overlooking farm land. Hopefully, things will work out & we will get this place. It's in God's hands now. I've always felt if you are meant to have something, you will. If we get it, we get it...if not, we'll surely find something else we like, & maybe even better.

We left Berea early Saturday & got back to Florida later that night. Again, we had sunny weather all the way & once again breezed through Atlanta. We are so anxious for our house to get sold so we can become 'Kentuckians' !!

Thank you all for your help & for being so kind to us. We were hoping to contact some of you, but I don't have a laptop, & we were so busy looking at houses, we were exhausted at the end of each day. It was cold while we were there, but it's nothing we haven't experienced before. After all Donna is originally from Michigan, & I from the snowbelt of N.E. Ohio.

Joe

[Catlily71]

Can you folks exploring Berea and from Berea let me know how the air quality is there?

My husband has vascular disease. From what the EPA web site says the air in Berea is pretty clean....is that the case?

Also how are the hospitals there?

[kimmieyky]

Originally Posted by Catlily71

Can you folks exploring Berea and from Berea let me know how the air quality is there?

My husband has vascular disease. From what the EPA web site says the air in Berea is pretty clean....is that the case?

Also how are the hospitals there?

Extremely clean. Nothing like fresh, country air. I promise. And yes, there is medical care - but I do not know the hospital names, but here is a site which should help:

http://www.hospitalsoup.com/rn/asp/H...aldetails3.asp