I really hate this damn country...

[PrinceofWands]

This has always been a super cheap area. $10/hr is a damn good salary here. Unemployment goes between 8 and 18%. Just six years ago our house was appraised at $110,000. It was reappraised every 5-10 years, usually going up maybe 5-10% each time. Enter real-estate speculation.

Two years ago they appraised our house (with no cause) for $150k. Last year they did it again and it was $170k. We just got another one for $190k.

This is all with no improvements in home/property or the city. In fact the city is doing far worse than it has been. There is no possible rational explanation for this other than speculation/exploitation.

This is a family home, it will never be sold. The only thing increasing value does is rape us in taxes.

I hate this damn country.

 

[olds]

Will you be moving to Iraq soon?

 

[Rio Rebel]

No, real estate is appreciating in Iraq.

Try Las Vegas.

 

[kranky]

My parents live in an area where a huge development boom has been going on for a few years. Their taxes were reduced the last two years, because the number of new homes on the tax rolls is large enough to make that possible.

Why hate the whole "damn country" when your beef is with your local government?

 

[CycloWizard]

Feel free to get the hell out. Don't let the door hit you on your way. :waves;

 

[Tsaico]

Woah, the country? I think that is a little extreme in your case. Move to an apartment then. My area did the re-apprasal and it lowered the value of my house almost 90k.

 

[Vehemence]

I kind of like America, myself.

 

[torpid]

Inflation

 

[T9D]

But at least you'll be getting better roads and better schooling.....oh wait

 

[spidey07]

You want to know why you should LOVE your country?

Because you can dispute it and if it's out of line with other real appraisals (not done by the county) then you don't have to pay the high one. All you have to do is dispute it if you think it's out of line.

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: spidey07
You want to know why you should LOVE your country?

Because you can dispute it and if it's out of line with other real appraisals (not done by the county) then you don't have to pay the high one. All you have to do is dispute it if you think it's out of line.

shouldn't this semi-rant on ATOT count as a dispute? Why should he have to go through all that?

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
-snip-
There is no possible rational explanation for this other than speculation/exploitation.

If you're talking about city/county appraisals for real estate taxes the explaination is increased tax revenue without having to raise rates. A common ploy, raising rates is politically unpopular. Solution? jack the valuation.

They tried that where I lived, they just about tripled my valuation so I protested and won.

But play the game smart and learn all the rules. Don't miss a (procedural) step or you're lost.

Look for comps on houses sold/up for for sales etc.

Fern

 

[PrinceofWands]

Please indicate to me why property which had been increasing in value from 1-2% annually should suddenly be increasing 15% annually? Especially with a stagnant population, stagnant earnings far under median and average, a failing economy, etc. If someone can provide me a logical explanation (which does not point to greed or corruption as a foundation) I will be much more accepting of it.

This is hardly a local only issue. Property values have been going crazy all over America in the last 10 or so years. I'm sure some few areas are holding or even declining, but mostly what we see is rapidly increasing appraisals without logical foundation.

 

[PrinceofWands]

How exactly does moving solve anything when the point is that this house has been in the family for two generations and I plan on living here till I die? Why would someone move from a house to an apartment? Why should I have to leave so that other people can be illogical and abusive?

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Fern

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
-snip-
There is no possible rational explanation for this other than speculation/exploitation.

If you're talking about city/county appraisals for real estate taxes the explaination is increased tax revenue without having to raise rates. A common ploy, raising rates is politically unpopular. Solution? jack the valuation.

They tried that where I lived, they just about tripled my valuation so I protested and won.

But play the game smart and learn all the rules. Don't miss a (procedural) step or you're lost.

Look for comps on houses sold/up for for sales etc.

Fern

Probably good advice...time to look into the dispute procedures. This is just getting f'ing ridiculous.

 

[JS80]

It sounds like you hate your damn local county, which I would put money that is run by democrats

 

[MrPickins]

Instead of complaining go downtown and contest it...

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Google prop 13 in California

Talking with a couple of my neighbors, one paid $13k for his mom's house, another paid $17k for their house. Meaning that their annual taxes are capped at about $130 and $170 respectively. Also known as "less than I pay in taxes each month". If your house value takes a huge dip, you can have it temporarily lowered, but will be reappraised every two years until it gets back to the purchase price.

 

[imported_Baloo]

What happened after you filed a dispute after the last two appraisels?

 

[Auric]

Should have got a reverse mortgage at the peak

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Baloo
What happened after you filed a dispute after the last two appraisels?

Wish I would have known about it then. 8-( Only have 30 days to file, so now it's too late of course. I honestly wouldn't have disputed the first one, just because it would have been somewhat reasonable to consider the area undervalued (if minimally) up till then.

What angers me most is the annual increase, not the fact that it's going up at all. If it were continuing to go up 1-2.5% like it had been I probably wouldn't mind at all. But 10-15% annually during a major economic downturn with no improvements???

 

[MaxDepth]

I know this is a crappy kinda of answer but at least it is better than "suck on it."

Have you thought about running for city council or mayor (if you have either or both)? And even if you don't run at least you could be really active in local politics. Either being a part of the system or being one of the few who run the system, I guarantee you won't be be having your property appraised every year.

 

[Vonkhan]

I'm not American ... but I think America's pretty cool (except for its current ruler)

 

[Toasthead]

Originally posted by: Tsaico
Woah, the country? I think that is a little extreme in your case. Move to an apartment then. My area did the re-apprasal and it lowered the value of my house almost 90k.

I live in Sacramento, CA and our house has gone down 200k in the past 2 years appraisals. While it sucks for home values, i love the tax break Im getting.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: :thumbsup:MaxDepth
I know this is a crappy kinda of answer but at least it is better than "suck on it."

Have you thought about running for city council or mayor (if you have either or both)? And even if you don't run at least you could be really active in local politics. Either being a part of the system or being one of the few who run the system, I guarantee you won't be be having your property appraised every year.

hahahaha
:thumbsup:


I think the city, county, and state have had about all they can stand of me in a political sense. I'm a rather notorious pain in the ass for my governments. I know, that surprises you all greatly.