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While TX property taxes can be high, there isn't a state income tax as opposed to California.
In TOTAL, TX has much lower taxes.
Otherwise the actual building costs will reflect labor costs which would be a lot higher in CA, additional build requirements due to risk\regulation and possibly things like a basement vs. a slab (TX) and of course if the market is bubbling up then you have to pay a premium to the builder because they're not going to sell below market even if it only cost them 200k to build a house that would go for 300k. Lots of Chinese money flooding CA real-estate markets.
While TX property taxes can be high, there isn't a state income tax as opposed to California.
In TOTAL, TX has much lower taxes.
Otherwise the actual building costs will reflect labor costs which would be a lot higher in CA, additional build requirements due to risk\regulation and possibly things like a basement vs. a slab (TX) and of course if the market is bubbling up then you have to pay a premium to the builder because they're not going to sell below market even if it only cost them 200k to build a house that would go for 300k. Lots of Chinese money flooding CA real-estate markets.
I don't know why people assume this. Taxes are taxes and Uncle Sam will take his cut somehow, no matter what state you live in. We have a high state sales tax relative to other states, a very high property tax, we are one of the most heavily tolled states in the US, so even though there is no state income tax, we pay through the nose to drive on our roads. Every American pays lot of taxes in one way or another.
While TX property taxes can be high, there isn't a state income tax as opposed to California.
In TOTAL, TX has much lower taxes.
Otherwise the actual building costs will reflect labor costs which would be a lot higher in CA, additional build requirements due to risk\regulation and possibly things like a basement vs. a slab (TX) and of course if the market is bubbling up then you have to pay a premium to the builder because they're not going to sell below market even if it only cost them 200k to build a house that would go for 300k. Lots of Chinese money flooding CA real-estate markets.
California has a lot of regulations, if you want to throw out a piece of plastic you need a permit and a note from your mother. I often see ads for items where Cali is singled out for warnings that are only observed there.
I don't know why people assume this. Taxes are taxes and Uncle Sam will take his cut somehow, no matter what state you live in. We have a high state sales tax relative to other states, a very high property tax, we are one of the most heavily tolled states in the US, so even though there is no state income tax, we pay through the nose to drive on our roads. Every American pays lot of taxes in one way or another.
From a practicality standpoint I will take high sales tax and property tax over a high income tax. With it being that way I can earn as much as possible but have influence on my tax obligation by my consumption. When the opposite is true my biggest impact to lowering my tax bill would be lowering my income.
Last edited by Lowexpectations; 07-27-2016 at 11:54 AM..
Until you retire. Then property taxes become a huge concern.
No they don't at least not for me. I will account for them in my income needs and addiontally my county and school district offer addiontal exemptions for those 65 and older and the school taxes freeze which make up roughly half the tax liability
Why? Because Texas is a red state with lax labor regulations and building codes. That means cheap up-front costs, but you'll pay for it down the road with high heating, cooling, insurance, and maintenance costs. And god help you if there's some kind of natural disaster.
Counties in Texas cannot pass an ordinance without permission from the State legislature.
There are no building codes in unincorporated areas, where much of the new construction is.
No permits are required and no inspections. The roofs do not need to carry a snow load, and due to soil, there are no basements.
The builders need not do soil test on each lot. I know of a house in The Shores, Rockwall Texas that was built on top of a spring. It happened to be dry the day the put down the forms for the slab. There are several 500K houses built on a fault in The Woodlands. The builder was aware of the fault.
The law in Texas favors builders. So do the courts.
Half the cracked slabs in the USA are in Texas. Half the cracked slabs in Texas are inn the Dallas area.
Pay your money and take your chances. Now factor in the undocumented workers. If you doubt it, show up on the job site with a hat marked I.C.E.
I'd like to see those stats. I lived in 3 homes in California, and all 3 had cracked slabs. It's what the earth does - move.
Why? Because Texas is a red state with lax labor regulations and building codes. That means cheap up-front costs, but you'll pay for it down the road with high heating, cooling, insurance, and maintenance costs. And god help you if there's some kind of natural disaster.
Spoken like a true yankee that thinks his opinion is fact. Housing was cheaper when Texas was a blue state. Obviously you've never lived here. Texas has cheap housing due to cheap land costs versus other states. Most often land costs on a house in a tract type subdivision has a land cost of under $40,000, most at or under $30,000. Lot sizes have changed over the last couple of decades. The older homes will have something like an 85ft x 150ft lot. New homes like some of those listed in the first part of the thread may only have a 45ftx 100ft lot. You can only park one car deep in the driveway whereas the older homes you can easily park 2 deep or get 4 cars on a normal double driveway. Acreage lots in nice areas can run $30-50,000. an acre and there's not necessarily any utilities on the property. You get to put in a well and septic system which obviously adds the final numbers. In some areas where acreage is bought, the electricity and phone must be brought in. That can be an expensive date at $1000. a foot. We also don't have basements so the cost of digging one out and providing the necessary drainage isn't there. Because we don't have the extreme cold, we can bury the water and sewer lines just a couple of feet under ground instead of 8 or 10 ft deep which runs up costs. And for our yankee friend, yes, Texas is a right to work State. We don't have stupid unions here and have no use for them. While all Texans would like to see a much lower tax cut out of our paychecks, the truth is we are eons ahead of the crap like New York who pays over 60% of their wages in taxes. Nope, Texas ain't perfect but we're headed in the right direction which beats the heck outa second place.
Why? Because Texas is a red state with lax labor regulations and building codes. That means cheap up-front costs, but you'll pay for it down the road with high heating, cooling, insurance, and maintenance costs. And god help you if there's some kind of natural disaster.
What, like fire? Mudslides? Earthquakes?
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It depends
