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Yeah, but CA has fire + electricity-delivery issues during fire season. And the SW climatologists' prognosis for AZ/NM water supply-wise, plus the dozen yrs or so of significantly higher temps we had before you moved to NM (and predicted to become the norm), have me looking to get back to the coast. Everything is on hold, though, due to Covid. My life is in limbo. Thx for thinking of me, though.
I'm in Alamogordo by Holloman AFB, though. I believe we'll have water until Armageddon hits. The military continues to be put on a pedestal by Trump and Co., and the border is a hot issue. But by that I mean that Trump is going to do whatever's necessary to protect American border areas come what COVID-19 may. That means I live in an area that's going to be delivered water constantly till Kingdom come.
Sounds like you've got a handle on what you want. I wish you the very best, Ruth. You're a constant contributor on the WA and NM forums, a steady and strong one.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PartIrish
Stealthrabbit, I'm trying to understand this extraordinary 18x increase you mention above. ...
I fought my assessment valuations, and the tax assessor does not like having to go to Olympia, when my case gets escalated past local jurisdiction. They told my precisely that was the case. "We WILL tax you out of your property for contesting us. " My valuation has risen consistently higher than my neighbors with much nicer homes, tho their is up 10x as well.
I live in a very desirable area for 'property investors' (rolling their 1031's)
My dirt alone is valued over $400k, I paid <$25k
No exemptions, except limited land use (Steep + CGNSA). Some counties charge a CGNSA surcharge, others (Klickitat) offer valuation reductions for being stuck in CGNSA, and all the rules and regs you must live with. +"Friends(?) of the Gorge" spying and recording your property with drones and spotting scopes (sometimes daily).
I live in a very desirable area for 'property investors' (rolling their 1031's)
My dirt alone is valued over $400k, I paid <$25k
I'm confused the way PartIrish is confused. Unless...
How many acres is your dirt on that property where you pay 14,700/yr in property taxes?
Is it a bluff property with 360 degree views or waterfront property, or a lake is within the acreage, or some such thing that the average property does not include? I'm confused...
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Algiz
I'm confused the way PartIrish is confused. Unless...
How many acres is your dirt on that property where you pay 14,700/yr in property taxes?
Is it a bluff property with 360 degree views or waterfront property, or a lake is within the acreage, or some such thing that the average property does not include? I'm confused...
All rural lots must show at least 1 acre as 'improved' (for tax purposes / developed homesite), regardless of parcel acreage size
I.e. they are not making any more 'view lots' here.
but you can do NOTHING with your property. To even maintain your existing structure you MUST comply with very restrictive regulations and oversight.
not too normal, but "water front" properties n WA is also VERY restricted and controlled.
Sell it?
No... I purposely moved to CGNSA to quit dealing with county planning fiasco. But... 10 yrs later the Feds gave jurisdiction to the counties, really messing up the plan! (and view).
No... I built it brick by brick to LIVE in, not to sell (It all goes to charity anyway). Don't plan / desire to sell. Where would I go? (North Dakota?) about the only 'reasonable' (cost and regulations) place remaining in USA. I'm too old to build another farm.
There are similar burdens throughout Rural WA, including the Skagit Valley.
Know your specific area, zoning and tax assessor and land use planner (who will become a WA land use attorney like his buddies before him).
I.e. they are not making any more 'view lots' here.
but you can do NOTHING with your property. To even maintain your existing structure you MUST comply with very restrictive regulations and oversight.
not too normal, but "water front" properties n WA is also VERY restricted and controlled.
Sell it?
No... I purposely moved to CGNSA to quit dealing with county planning fiasco. But... 10 yrs later the Feds gave jurisdiction to the counties, really messing up the plan! (and view).
No... I built it brick by brick to LIVE in, not to sell (It all goes to charity anyway). Don't plan / desire to sell. Where would I go? (North Dakota?) about the only 'reasonable' (cost and regulations) place remaining in USA. I'm too old to build another farm.
There are similar burdens throughout Rural WA, including the Skagit Valley.
Know your specific area, zoning and tax assessor and land use planner (who will become a WA land use attorney like his buddies before him).
Since I'm looking to buy out of state, I wanted to find property tax rates in other states.
I keep hearing WA has high property taxes here on c-d, but I never felt my property taxes were all that high. This site shows that WA's property taxes are pretty much in the middle of property tax rates in the 50 states. http://www.tax-rates.org/taxtables/property-tax-by-state
I understand that your property tax burden is different than the average property owner in Washington state, but since I live rural and have some acreage, I'm still confused how you can be paying $14,700/yr property taxes. You mentioned one acre, but I would hope you have more than one acre to be paying rates that high. Surely having CGNSA designation isn't the only factor for your high property taxes.
How many acres do you have to be paying $14,700/yr in property taxes?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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I have under 20 acres at this location, only (1) acre is "improved", remainder is forest deferral, or too steep to have usable valuation.
Levy rate matters (my WA props vary from 8.4 to 14.7 per thousand. 2 props directly across the street from each other have that range. (Different school districts). Assessor aggressiveness and using 'sweet spots" for comps is biggest variable.
I have a very similar acreage 1 minute away, still in CGNSA, same cost basis (<$100k), and is taxed at 1/10th my residence. I have a lot of neighbors paying over $8k who were also previously paying ~$1000/yr. As mentioned... Lots of 1031 investors holding / transferring equity into desirable properties in our neighborhood. Assessor loves to have that activity for comps.
That is a major fallicy of WA property tax valuation (based on resale of comps, not actual valuation of your property that you intend and desire to LIVE in), not spiffed and updated as if ready for resale. Most of us LIVE in our outdated homes, not in a Better Homes and Gardens showpiece, capable of reaping top dollar. WA property taxes can be very unfair and super expensive. Or not. Assessor must evaluate on Highest and Best use. That just may likely exclude you from being able to stay in your home. Especially if no longer have income. (Retired, disabled, unemployed).
Really quite sad to have the sheriff come kick you out due to inability to pay property taxes. BTDT when it happened to my parents. Mom cried. She had spent many years working 3 jobs to help keep the farm. I'm sure it is the only time she ever cried. She was a very tough cookie and a hard nut to crack.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 07-22-2020 at 07:34 PM..
I have under 20 acres at this location, only (1) acre is "improved", remainder is forest deferral, or too steep to have usable valuation.
Levy rate matters (my WA props vary from 8.4 to 14.7 per thousand. 2 props directly across the street from each other have that range. (Different school districts). Assessor aggressiveness and using 'sweet spots" for comps is biggest variable.
I have a very similar acreage 1 minute away, still in CGNSA, same cost basis (<$100k), and is taxed at 1/10th my residence. I have a lot of neighbors paying over $8k who were also previously paying ~$1000/yr. As mentioned... Lots of 1031 investors holding / transferring equity into desirable properties in our neighborhood. Assessor loves to have that activity for comps.
That is a major fallicy of WA property tax valuation (based on resale of comps, not actual valuation of your property that you intend and desire to LIVE in), not spiffed and updated as if ready for resale. Most of us LIVE in our outdated homes, not in a Better Homes and Gardens showpiece, capable of reaping top dollar. WA property taxes can be very unfair and super expensive. Or not. Assessor must evaluate on Highest and Best use. That just may likely exclude you from being able to stay in your home. Especially if no longer have income. (Retired, disabled, unemployed).
This sounds brutal, and I'm glad you explained. This is one more thing I know to look out for. I'm sorry you've gotten caught in this mess. It reminds me of what must be happening to the people who live near the freeway exit I take to get to Costco. When we moved here, the exit had essentially nothing there - I think a Wendy's, a gas station, but that was about it, but over the years, it's become a huge strip mall type area with Costco, Target, Marshall's, Office Depot, Petco, and all the other big box stores that partner up.
And now they're building more and are encroaching on farm land heading west into the interior, and there is this huge apartment complex next to an old house on land, and you know the people refused to sell, and the builders built up to the property line, and well, we know where this is going to go. I wonder if this is how property taxes are raised, how values are assessed.
I've heard it said that there's a reason for our about-80 year life span. Longer than that, it's too hard for us to adapt to changes that come with time. It's hard to look back and see what used to be - with higher populations, the most attractive land is getting eaten up. The west coast's idyllic aura is gone probably forever, and it's hard for those of us who knew it then to see and personally experience where it's going now.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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I fled to CGNSA after spending 10 yrs fighting for my 80 yo neighbors as local planners raped our semi-rural landscape, adding apartment dwellers next to our orchards, and Mobile Home parks on dead-end streets. Really destroyed our peaceful neighborhood, disrupting and disparaging the seniors who had built such a nice area. (Takes well over 10 yrs to develop a productive orchard)
I grew up in Colorado where my nearest town went from 13,000 population to 80,000 (now 130,000). Thousand of acres of cherry orchards now sprout tract homes. Mom and pop fruit stands are gone, Costco and Sam's don't have 5 gal tins of canned cherries. Kids are stuck to their phones, rather than picking sticky fruit
Yes, desirable places do change. +/-
Washington state has some challenges, but not as serious as places without water or a way to sustain the economy. Much commerce changed with internet availability. Working from home is in its infancy. Desirable places in USA will be changed (such as western Idaho). Imagine if USA had the available rural internet coverage that much of the word enjoys! Hopefully low orbit satellite will bring me internet, but quite a bit of Washington does have access. Not sure of entire region near Skagit valley.
It cost just shy of 14k to bring comcast in as the county required it to be underground... never mind the neighbors have it overhead but that was before the requirement changed... previous owner wanted no part of it when it was rolled out.
I found it impossible to rent without it... as there is no over the air TV signal and DSL on an old telephone line just doesn't cut it... cell service no go as the community refused to allow a cell tower to go up at the local fire house...
Satellite option cost thousands in tree trimming and removal... especially to get 3 satellites required for HD
Just something to consider.
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