Misfitmorgan's Journal - That Summer Dust

[babsbag]

Yeah, in CA. Not so sure about Michigan. Different payment amounts seem strange.

 

[greybeard]

We have one tax and it is split in two payments, one in April and one in Dec. and they are equal payments. Our taxes are based on the last selling price and they aren't allowed to reappraise until the next sale.

In Texas, you're just renting the property from the govt. If I live long enough, I could pay more in total property taxes than the property was worth. It belongs to me only as long as I keep paying the taxes, and it gets re-appraised every time the wind changes directions. Build a new fence, appraisal goes up. Put a roof on a hog pen, taxes go up.

But, they don't appraise dog pens. I could build Trump's Mara-Lago for my dog and as long as dog is the only one using it, my taxes wouldn't increase.

 

[Bruce]

If you are renting from the government, who gets the money when a place is sold? Sound wierd.

Timing of taxes here are whatever the town decides. Prior house - Aug, Nov, Mar. Equal payments.

New house (different town obviously) was, until this year, all in Nov. Fiscal year was calendar year. Oddly they borrowed money to pay the bills until the tax money came in. Don't really understand how that makes sense. They have now shifted to fiscal year matching the state's fiscal year (which I THINK starts in June??) and we will have 2 payments - again equal. I don't remember the dates, probably Aug or Sep and Mar. I could look it up but I'm too lazy

 

[babsbag]

Our improvements get appraised and added to the value but they won't reappraise the entire structure/land, and it is only things you get a permit for that flags the appraisal for the improvement. All property taxes are on the same schedule statewide.

 

[greybeard]

If you are renting from the government, who gets the money when a place is sold? Sound wierd.

Cap gains tax gets a bunch of it unless you have a plan in place to thwart that.

Here, appraisals are done based on aerial photo reconnaissance.
The cameras and pictures don't care if a permit is required or not.
The most recent surveillance pics are overlaid in transparent digital form on previous pics and a computer notes additions.
Ag structures usually don't require a permit, unless humans frequently work inside them, especially true for loafing sheds and hay storage barns. Still taxable tho. I built a 22' X 16' loafing shed in 2011. Taxed. I enlarged it in 2014 to 22 X 32. Taxes again went up because of it.
(Any building that is for frequent human use, as part of the permitting process, also gets a 911 address. Each 911 address also gets a mailing address, because..well, I don't know exactly, but all mailing addys here come from the 911 issue office. I have 4 different 911 addresses on my current property, so I suppose if I wanted to, I could add 3 more mailboxes to the group of boxes up the road.)

There was a large hole behind my cattle pens, created when the contractor need fill to build up my house pad in '09. Approx 20' dia x 10' deep. It was not taxed, but when I filled it in 2014, even tho I just moved dirt from a different area of my property to fill it in, the appraisal district called it an improvement and raised my taxes.

Anything 'portable' is not taxed for property value. Only reason my cattle handling facility isn't appraised is because it is made of corral panels that all chain together and can be moved and reconfigured pretty easy. If I were to put posts down and make it immovable, it would get appraised. If I were to put a roof over it, it would get appraised and issued a 911 address because the appraisal district says it is then used frequently by humans. Yes, my cows can then have their own mailbox.

 

[babsbag]

Good grief. I guess every state has its pros and cons, I will take the taxes in CA...thanks.

 

[greybeard]

I pay close to $2K in annual property taxes and it would be higher without the Ag valuation.
No state income tax tho.

 

[Bruce]

I pay nearly $6K in property taxes and we DO have income taxes.

 

[Baymule]

@greybeard can you file senior citizen exemption and get your taxes frozen? We built a 36'x36' barn and our taxes didn't go up because they are frozen. We also added a 12'x54' screened in porch, taxes still frozen.

 

[greybeard]

Have had the '65 exemption' for a couple years now.
Just got a notice last month that my 2017 property taxes will increase. Not much, but they sure ain't going down.