Quote:
Originally Posted by Biggd
I have a home in Ma and a home in NH. What I have noticed is the assessed value of my home in NH is pretty close to the price that I believe it would sell for. My realtor has confirmed that most homes in, Meredith, the town I'm in are selling very close to assessed value.
My home in Ma is assessed far below what I could sell it for but I'm not calling the town and telling them to tax me on it's real value.  |
I suspect your home in MA is assessed at a level comparable to others in town. If your assessment were abnormally low, all your neighbors would be going to the assessors looking for abatements using your home as an example of why their rate should be reduced.
There are a variety of professions where the job is to look at all the assessments and try to get a better deal for the owner, or a group of owners. Big industry does this all the time in part because you may have a unique plant and there are no comparable sales to look at (they may use an income method). If I can get you an abatement, I get a commission.
For those who talk about living there but not being able to vote, that's the situation for businesses. They pay property tax but can't vote. They do negotiate with the town--we'd like this intersection redesigned, we need this sort of skilled worker, could you add that to the school curriculum?
Second Homeowners may not vote (you don't have to be from out of state, just out of town) but they can form organizations to work with the Selectmen. The Gilford Island Association has done well by its members, good Glendale docks, and parking, fire boat, an officer on duty,(See that Meredith), a special "Island Dump Day", etc.