Re: Property taxes (was: Re: OT: Bikes)

From: Dustin Williams (dustinewilliams@gmail.com)
Date: Tue Mar 11 2008 - 22:27:35 EDT


Just goes to show that even in a country founded on the principle of
individual rights that you can't really own property you just rent it
from the government.

On 3/11/08, DAKSY <rsmith13@nycap.rr.com> wrote:
>
> Hey, Mr. Steiger!
>
>
> <> Ouch. You should definitely fight that.<>
>
> Gathering ammo by the minute!
>
> <> I'm assuming your area just went through a reval where they adjusted
> everybody's assessment?<>
>
> Oh, Yeah...First time in 29 years for the Town of Sand Lake...
>
> <> Even with a reval, you can go to the board of appeals to try to get a
> lower
> assessment. (Sometimes you don't have to go in front of a board, you
> can talk to the assessor directly and they may drop the amount on
> their own.) Do your homework before you go before the board, either
> by finding comparable properties to yours with lower assessments, (or
> market values lower than your assessment). It would probably be worth
> your while to have a (good) local real estate agent do a comparative
> market analysis on your home. It might cost you $100-200, but if it
> helps to drop the assessment, it will pay for itself many times over.
> You may want to check around to see if you can find a local real
> estate agent who has experience helping people to challenge their
> assessments. <>
>
> LIke I said above, I'm gathering the info on the similar
> dwellings/properties that they
> indicate are comparable...So far, nothing is close to what they valued us
> at...
> 'Course we might have the only A-Frame on the lakes around here...
>
>
> <> If the town just did a reval, then they probably adjusted
> their equalization rate back to 100%, in which case there should have
> been a corresponding drop in the tax (mil) rate. If they did indeed
> go back to a 100% equalization rate, then your assessment should be
> equal to the current market value of your home (which is where the
> comparative market analysis comes into play). If the rate is less
> than 100%, then your assessment should be the current market value of
> your home multiplied by the equalization rate.<>
>
> The rate is now at 100%. The down side ids that my combined property/school
> tax doubled!
> My monthly tax is higher than my mortgage!
>
> <>Even if your current assessment is "fair", I'd still try to reduce
> it, every little bit helps. Keep those dollars in your pocket instead
> of letting the government waste 'em on stupid crap.<>
>
> Fair? I guess the town thinks so, but we'll see what the general concensus
> is...Folks round
> here are up in arms...there are a lot of older, fixed-income residents, who
> are essentially going
> to be evicted because they can't afford their taxes. Rensselaer County
> recently approved a reduction for Cold War
> Era Vtes, so that's another angle I plan to attack from...
>
> <> Also, assuming your home is your primary residence, make sure you
> are getting the STAR exemption. (It drops $30K worth of assessment off
> the school tax portion of your property taxes.<>
>
> Took advantage of that one...dropped to $307K..still WAY high
>
> <> People 65 and older who also fall below a certain income requirement can
> get enhanced STAR
> which does the same thing as regular STAR, but the reduction is just
> under $57K instead of $30K). How much STAR is worth to you will
> depend on your local school district's tax rate. In our area, the
> basic STAR exemption is worth somewhere around $800/year.<>
>
> I think the figure here is around $650/yr...
>
> Anyhoo, lot of good info here, Jon, & I owe ya one IF we ever get back out
> to the dreaded Steigermud-pit!
> Thanks, Bud!
>
> Bob (DAKSY) Smith
> DAKSY2K on AIM
> 2K SY Dakota Sport +
> V-6 4 x 4 5 speed
> 2K08 HD Softail CrossBones
>
> http://home.nycap.rr.com/daksy/
> Averill Park, NY
>
>

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