Aerial photos could track home projects

[homebild]

Finally, I do not mean to imply that there should not be an increase in property taxes under all conditions. If the improvement adds room for more occupants, for example bedrooms and baths in added floor space or additional apartments, then a tax increase would be justified. To add a deck, a porch, a garage, a laundry room, finish a basement, add a bath in existing floor space, remodel a kitchen; should not require a property tax adjustment

.

Amen brother We have a 42 foot long by 7 foot wide deck on the front of our home...it goes the length of the house...imagine our surprise when we got out taxes the following year and there was 294 sq foot ADDED to our taxable footage I can't live on my deck....I shouldn't be taxed on it as square footage of living space.

By the way Michigan is one of the worst states in the US for property taxes....they are outrageous I tell you. This years "tax sales" properties were up alot. Our property taxes cost us over 150.00 dollars a month. That is why people are losing their homes....on top of a mortgage I can't imagine how the poor can do it.

Just my rant though....

Love and Blessings,

Angel

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can afford a $5000 deck but cannot afford to pay $1800 a year in property taxes?

$1800 a year in property taxes is extremely CHEAP (about half) compared to where I live....

Edited March 25, 2005 by homebild

[refugepsa91]

$5000.00 for our deck...where in the world did you come up with that number? Our deck didn't cost that much...and not that its any of your business but we used our income tax money to build our deck. We wouldn't be able to just come up with that kind of money like your implying. Maybe I should add here we built our deck about 4 years back...so to give you the benefit of the doubt hombild...it was long before the recent lumber hikes.... I will admit that is probably about what it would cost today.

Notice I said over 150.00 a month...include our summer taxes and we pay approximately 2000.00 a year...which is going up by leaps and bounds.

We pay our taxes every year...I would never do otherwise...but you bet I feel and get angry for those who can't afford it....think about that elderly couple down the road that have owned their home for years retire and their social security isn't enough to pay for everything...especially when add you meds on that. Their home gets taken because they can't pay their taxes on top of everything else....these people worked hard all their life and paid their dues...and at the end of it everything they worked for is taken away. Sorry makes me angry. But thats ok states just keep raising those taxes to the point where your going pay almost as much on those property taxes a month as you do your mortgage.

Great glad you have no problem paying your taxes hombild....but that doesn't mean you have to be callous to those who can't....

Just my opinion....

Love and Blessings,

Angel

Edited March 25, 2005 by refugepsa91

[homebild]

$5000.00 for our deck...where in the world did you come up with that number?  Our deck didn't cost that much...and not that its any of your business but we used our income tax money to build our deck.  We wouldn't be able to just come up with that kind of money like your implying.  Maybe I should add here we built our deck about 4 years back...so to give you the benefit of the doubt hombild...it was long before the recent lumber hikes....   I will admit that is probably about what it would cost today.

Notice I said over 150.00 a month...include our summer taxes and we pay approximately 2000.00 a year...which is going up by leaps and bounds. 

We pay our taxes every year...I would never do otherwise...but you bet I feel and get angry for those who can't afford it....think about that elderly couple down the road that have owned their home for years retire and their social security isn't enough to pay for everything...especially when add you meds on that.    Their home gets taken because they can't pay their taxes on top of everything else....these people worked hard all their life and paid their dues...and at the end of it everything they worked for is taken away.  Sorry makes me angry.  But thats ok states just keep raising those taxes to the point where your going pay almost as much on those property taxes a month as you do your mortgage.

Great glad you have no problem paying your taxes hombild....but that doesn't mean you have to be callous to those who can't....

Just my opinion....

Love and Blessings,

Angel

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But for those folks down the road who have lived in their home for years, don't forget, they have no mortgage, own all the equity in their home at its current value, and are capable of getting a 'reverse mortgage' to pay for their taxes, living expenses. meds and then some.

No callousness on my part. Just reality.

According to US Census reports, less than half of all US households own their own home, so if you do, count yourself fortunate and be willing to pay for that priveleged status...

[refugepsa91]

According to US Census reports, less than half of all US households own their own home, so if you do, count yourself fortunate and be willing to pay for that priveleged status

This I believe....they can't afford to pay property taxes... That was intended to be funny...not sarcastic...I just couldn't help myself...

I believe the reverse mortgage plan was presented to them...for some reason it didn't go. I don't know why....I don't know their financial status on their home either. I guess its not wise to "assume" they have no mortgage because they have lived there their whole married life..

Hubby and I have no problem with having to pay taxes....if I gave that impression, I'm not one of those boycott taxes because their not constitional type of person...What I do have a problem with is the way they are calculated...and I honestly believe that after age 65 (thats retirement age right?) these people really should be given a break....

Oh and I will never agree with a deck counting as square footage of your home

We built our house ourselves...no contractors...we don't have our breezway or garage up yet....I positively can't wait to see the hike in our taxes then.

I pay em' but I don't have to like em'. I think we can agree to disagree on some of the points....I will admit sometimes people step in it themselves...other times its circumstances totally out of their control...

Thanks for the discussion hombild...

Love and Blessings,

Angel

[hmh]

In Alabama, when a homeowner reaches 65, they no longer pay any property taxes. My parents live in North Alabama, and when my father reached 65, the tax collector sent a letter telling him he was no longer required to pay any property taxes. Five years later, and still no property tax bill.

When he last paid property taxes, the bill was a grand total of $120.00 for the year. A three bedroom, one bathroom house on a half-acre of land. Here in South Florida that same house I would be paying approximately $3,000 to $5,000 or more a year.

And people wonder why I want to leave here and go back to Alabama.