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Hello -- I am new to this forum (this is my first post, actually) so please bear with me as I ask a question I am sure has been covered ad nauseum here over the years!
My husband and I currently live in the City and are planning to purchase a home early next year. I love Westchester for many reasons, particularly the community feel of so many of the smaller/medium sized towns and villages.... but am TRULY confounded by the property taxes. Not the fact that they are high (I have accepted this as a grim reality), but rather that there seems to be no pattern or rhyme or reason to them. I will explain: If I'm looking at a house in some other relatively high-tax areas (eg: East Hill in Englewood, Tenafly, or even Great Neck), it seems that the taxes are in proper proportion to the home's listing price (with a few exceptions).
For instance, a home listed for sale in any of the aforementioned areas for $950K might have a $21-25K property tax, but as you go down in price, a home listed for $800K has a tax bill of roughly $17K, in the $700K range $15K, the $600K range $12-14K and so on....of course it's not this uniform all of time, but by and large it seems proportional. Now I DO understand that lot size, age, state of renovations, school districts all play a role, but there at least does seem to be a level of consistency in the tax structure in these towns.
This is NOT what I am finding in Westchester across many, many towns from Hastings to Bedford, Pelham to Rye Brook and many towns in between. A home or sometimes even a townhome listed for $600K-range often has the same (thereabouts) property tax as a home listed for just under $1MM ... again, I am cognizant of the school districts, condition of home, size of lot, etc. So what gives?!
Another thing I am truly confused by is that some Westchester towns (barring WP, Yonkers and some of the larger towns) that claim "better" property tax rates over another (for instance Hastings was touted by a few magazines to supposedly have more moderate property taxes than, say, Scarsdale) -- seem to be no different at all and have equally high taxes as the next town!
Am I missing something here? I appreciate any information that can shed some light...
Another related question for those living in Westchester: What would you say is the general consensus, in your communities/neighborhoods, surrounding these high property taxes? Do many people grieve their taxes/assessments? Do you notice people moving from the area, or a slowing down of new families moving in because of this? Or do people just grin and bear it?
It's hard up there nowadays, the taxes have gone insane. I miss the northeast though and have looked into Connecticut.
New York is lost, it's become so outrageously expensive and its a bit backward cause the city seems to run the state instead of the other way around. I do love ya New York, you're my home state, but the whole system in New York needs to be rebuilt.
Here's what you do. Find the highway that says 95 south and welcome to Cary North Carolina.
:-) I feel you, Armyvet1. I too am from NY and it saddens me that so many neighborhoods I've been familiar with since childhood are not ones we can move to now (given their overinflation). I've moved out of state several times but always return. Family, friends and work keep me here. Plus I still have a soft-spot, what can I say. I am proud to be from here but agree the system needs a major overhaul.
My main question where Westchester property taxes are concerned though is: Are people you know/have heard of downsizing or moving to other areas because of it? Why hasn't there been an all out revolt?!
NYC drives up the prices. What the state needs to realize is that not everyone wants to live or work in or near the city. It's a very one sided system and my income is good, but for people who may not make as much as we do it really puts them in a tough spot.
The state is very liberal democrat, which statically takes from one and gives to another. It's hard to say though if a republican government would be better for the state, they are statically more corporate and capitalist which tends to push we the people to the side.
I've done research and the further you get from Manhattan the more realistic home prices become. Personally I could care less about NYC, I never needed to work there nor ever had a desire to live there.
It's fun to visit, as long as I can go home at the end of the day
My main question where Westchester property taxes are concerned though is: Are people you know/have heard of downsizing or moving to other areas because of it? Why hasn't there been an all out revolt?!
People in Westchester, Nassau, Essex, Bergen etc. downsize often after kids finish HS and go off to college. Many move out of state. Then new young families move in to take their place and pay the tax bill.
Virginia, North Carolina, Florida seem to be the biggest destinations for us ex New Yorkers. You guys may find this interesting but where I grew up in Mahopac I have confirmed that there is at least one of us or more now residing from Pennsylvania down through Florida.
We have Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida with former Putnam/ Northern Westchester residents that I at least know of.
I thought it was interesting to share.
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