Property taxes for new houses? (Wellesley, Sharon: real estate, 2013, rent)

[Joseph SJ]

Why is my townhouse (new construction 2013) taxed so much more than older houses, even bigger single family homes that sold for a higher price than what I paid?

Can anyone refer to a professional I can hire that can contest to the town on my behalf? (attorney, consultant, etc...).

thanks

[dravogadro]

Did those homes sell in the same relative time frame as your townhouse purchase?

[luvmyhoss]

Do your comparable values and take your results to the assessors office.

[Utopian Slums]

Originally Posted by Joseph SJ

Why is my townhouse (new construction 2013) taxed so much more than older houses, even bigger single family homes that sold for a higher price than what I paid?

Can anyone refer to a professional I can hire that can contest to the town on my behalf? (attorney, consultant, etc...).

thanks

You can contest on your own behalf.

The most obvious angle imo would be to point out the inferior less expensive building materials in yours vs older homes (eg, vinyl vs aluminum siding, hardwood vs hollow wood or particle board.)

Go online and see what similar homes to your s are selling for and assessed for.

[Joseph SJ]

Originally Posted by Utopian Slums

You can contest on your own behalf.

The most obvious angle imo would be to point out the inferior less expensive building materials in yours vs older homes (eg, vinyl vs aluminum siding, hardwood vs hollow wood or particle board.)

Go online and see what similar homes to your s are selling for and assessed for.

Are you for real? You must be a baby boomer: predictably self-serving with little to no knowledge of anything made after Elvis's death.

I have friends who "close" sections of their old house in the winter because they can't afford the heating bills. How is that better? We know of a couple in Wellesley that had to move out to a hotel when then opened the walls in their fixer upper. An "antique" house in Sharon was burning through 2 full tank of #2 fuel during the winter and the hipsters from New York who bought the place lost 7 figures in the "experience" according to my builder who lives there. This same builder told me that the building code in Massachusetts is so stringent that his cost went up by 10%. The roof brackets are now rated for a hurricane force 3, the electrical systems are all beefed up, the grading is regulated, there is an anti-back flow valve to the sewers, I can heat my house with a candle, and my basement is bone dry, is not a breading ground for black mold and doesn't leach asbestos particules.

Haaaa, forget it. If talking to baby boomers would be helpful, Elizabeth Warren would not have a shot at the presidency.

[Joseph SJ]

Originally Posted by dravogadro

Did those homes sell in the same relative time frame as your townhouse purchase?

Yes. I used recent purchase to compare, and that's why I am wondering: is the assessor using this opportunity to start us off a higher bill, because of the lack of history on a new property?

The real question is whether or not the assessor can use the age of the house as the sole factor, because it apparently trumps everything else (sq footage, SFH Vs condo, neighborhood, etc). Everybody know new houses are better, but the real estate value is the same, and so should the tax bills.

JSJ

[tribechamy]

Originally Posted by Joseph SJ

Are you for real? You must be a baby boomer: predictably self-serving with little to no knowledge of anything made after Elvis's death....
Haaaa, forget it. If talking to baby boomers would be helpful, Elizabeth Warren would not have a shot at the presidency.

Hmm...something tells me people will jump to give you LOTS of helpful advice on this forum...


Without your having given us any particulars here, my armchair advice is to look closely at the tax bill, look at the comps from when you bought the place, and maybe actually go to town hall and ask. Is it "taxes" in general or are things like the water bill adding to that $ number - if so it would be easier to track that down.

Is this new home part of a recent development? Or was it built in place of a teardown in a town with rules about that? Are you on town sewer or did they have to build a road or was there something else that the town had to provide for the property? There might be some thing extra tacked on to your tax bill. I'm no expert but those are just random possibilities that popped in my head. I'll wait til the people who know more than I do are charmed by your post and chime in.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by Joseph SJ

Yes. I used recent purchase to compare, and that's why I am wondering: is the assessor using this opportunity to start us off a higher bill, because of the lack of history on a new property?


JSJ

I've seen that before.

[Joseph SJ]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

I've seen that before.

Is it legal though?

I feel its like a property owner who can't increase the rent on tenants too much every year, but when one leaves, he jack up the price all the way to market.

Except that this is not a rental, and there are rules to follow.

Anyway, thanks for the input. But I am going to a pro with this.

Cheers

[KellyCrash]

I wouldn't go to a Pro before checking with the town hall for an explanation or to at least pose the question here that you asked us. Then go from there.