Taxes

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Originally Posted by Pineedles

Thank you for the clarification regarding the sales of homes near you. It makes me feel better in hopefully being able to continue to make our cotttage an affordable place to spend a couple of weeks here. The owners of this cottage are from several economic strata and it must be affordable for all, in order for all to enjoy it.

I just think that considering we use close to zero of the town's benefits provided to its citizenry, and can't vote we are easy targets.

Pineedles, Believe me I understand your angle. Which is way I decided to I needed to elaberate my point. Believe me there are times I worry about affordability. Thank goodness my family owns the property and the only thing we worry about is taxes. I honestly wonder how some people are able to afford it.

Seasonal Property owners are easy targets because we don't vote, and that is way it is very important to keep track of things and watch the trends. I was very concerned as I saw places selling around us, and cottages torn down and new year around places put up. And sure evaluations have changed. However I just don't see the wild swings that others talk about. The valuation of or dwelling has changed may 3K or 4K over 10 years.... which I chalk up to inflation etc. and the land value has tracked with everyone elses land value. Now my neighbor with the nicely manicured yard has a land value higher then mine for the same amount of land, but, his is nicely landscaped, has a year around house, and he is constantly making improvements. And guess what his taxes keep going up.

The Tax man assume you make X amount of improvements per year and thus increase the value of your property. So you see increases, then when they do a visual in person inspection they either a) decide you have done the expect improvements thus no adjustment is neccessary. b) decide you haven't done as many improvememnts and thus a negative adjustment is needed or c) you make more improvements and a further positive adjustments are needed. Now in any given year if you don't agree with this you can object there is a process in place. And hay if I saw an unfair adjustment in my tax evaluation I would ask it to be justified and then talk it through. So that I understood the adjustment. Far to often people don't do that though they get upset, yell and scream, and talk about the unfairness of it all.

Property taxes in NH are what they are because there are no Income, or Sales Taxes. The money has to come from somewhere to run the state.

Now as an out of stater I always remember this...... I could spend 5 or 6 grand in any year and take a 1 week vacation with my GF and her kids, or I could spend 5 or 6 grand on Taxes have a 2 week vacation and enjoy every weekend all summer long at the lake.