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Your new neighbor. November, 2004. |
Posted on 08/21/2004 12:27:52 PM PDT by lowbridge
The downside is that the neighbors' property taxes shoot up too. I'm being taxed right out of my own home of 17 years because they put 15 million $$$ mansions in the corn field next door to me. Development on the land that they purchased 4 years ago for $6 thousand an acre caused the unbuildable lot behind my home (no access) suddenly to be "worth" (according to the assessor) $30 thousand an acre. The mansions are jammed together into a cul de sac with their minimum lots turned into a nature preserve, for which they are not taxed at my rate.
I peruse the ads daily to see where I could move and find that homes in our area that were selling for $120 thousand when I moved here are now "worth" $450 thousand. There was barely a house available in this area over $300 thousand and now there is nothing under $300 thousand. There are more than 150 homes over a million $$$ now. All that inflation is fine, except that $10,000 - $20,000 property tax bills are attached to each of those houses. That's EVERY YEAR.
We appealed to the assessor about our situation and got a very small reduction after 2 years of arguing. For that concession, I had to give up the rights to my lot -- it was "rolled into" my house site. That meant that essentially I LOST money because I had owned the lot outright, but there was a mortgage on the house. They gave me a tiny tax reduction and then turned around and said that they had forgotten to include my barn in the assessment and raised the assessment right back up. Oh, yes, because I now had a new tax number for the combined properties, I lost my homestead status for the year too!
I might mention that this is a rural area, and the city provides only snow plowing, police, and limited fire protection -- no water, sewer, or garbage.
Frankly, I preferred the corn field!
Bloodsuckers!
Where is there left to go?
Just today we were discussing this very thing. The regional Boy Scout council has purchased a large parcel of land adjacent to its current camp. It's zoned agricultural, and they recently tried to get the zoning changed to accommodate Scout troops camping on it, development of hiking trails, and the building of a primitive cold-weather cabin.
Neighbors showed up at the zoning hearing and complained so vehemently about the Boy Scouts using the property (that THE BSA BOUGHT, PAID FOR, AND OWNED) that severe restrictions have now been placed on the use of the parcel. They cannot park a vehicle on it. They cannot have more than two (2) people on it simultaneously. They cannot build so much as a campfire on it, much less a cabin. My mouth was hanging open during the recitation of these restrictions, and I was sure it must be a joke. But no, the Scoutmaster assured me, it was no joke. Chalk it up to one more instance of absurdly restrictive "covenant" requirements enforcing ridiculous prohibitions on someone else's private property. (I mean, really, who could object to NATURE TRAILS being cultivated on the land, for crying out loud? And this is in a rural area, not some suburban neighborhood!)
Precisely.
If people don't like the uses (or potential uses) of a given piece of land in their area, they should band together and buy it. Crying to the government to take away some other guy's property rights is just plain sick and evil. That's what Democrats do.
Personally, I think a lot of the 'McMansion' griping comes from lazy, unsuccessful pieces of s**t who are just plain envious.
-ccm
It was built in the last couple of years. Big houses real close together.
Now, there is a trailer situated directly between the road and this development. The trailer has a lot of trashy boxes stacked up in front of it.
I'm sure the new neighbors hate the trailer (that was there before they were.).
Personally, I think it's funnier than hell. That trailer ain't goin' anywhere.
Sheesh, those tax rates are phenominal! In our area the tax bill for a $300,000 home runs around $1000 per year. I'm sure it's not any consolation to your property tax increase, but hasn't your home's valued increased threefold as well?
I know.
Those can often be identified by the appliances and cars on blocks in the front yard :)
Sorry, but I think it's hideous.
It's like someone wearing a loud suit. No class.
Tax rate here on a 300,000 house would be 6-8000 a year depending on city!
BSA should take whomever tried to impose those restrictions to court. The restrictions represent a "taking" and are unconstitutional.
"I think a lot of the 'McMansion' griping comes from lazy, unsuccessful pieces of s**t who are just plain envious."
Funny, but I would find it wonderful to see a house like this as a neighbor:
http://www.historicproperties.com/detail.asp?detail_key=mader001
Or this one: http://www.historicproperties.com/detail.asp?detail_key=Nepit003
Or one like this one: http://home.midmaine.com/~ruggles/ruggles_house_photo_tour.htm
But when it comes to having a Mcmansion as a neighbor, well, I guess my revulsion is really just me being an unsuccessful piece of s**t who is just plain envious.
Hmmm. Let's see....I can't have a large home b/c that would make my neighbors envious and therefore, I am evil, I can't drive an SUV b/c it might be a bigger car then my neighbors car and I would have to use more gasoline which must mean that I am rich and therefore, I am evil. I have a good idea. Let's do away with the American Dream and require everyone to drive the same, small vehicle and all live in small homes. I have another idea. Let's all wear uniforms too........
But where does it end? Once a government agency or body starts deciding what is historical, they'll move into what's tasteful as well. If McMansions start going up, that means property values are high. Those who object to the aesthetics can sell and live someplace else.
My thoughts exactly. I'm going to suggest that very thing.
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Your new neighbor. November, 2004. |
Geese, you live in AZ. I could buy a house there with my milk money... so in your case, success has nothing to do with property ownership. You just have to be at room temperature to sign the mortgage papers.
Your big house neighbor will be paying more taxes on his palace, which will ease the tax burden on your shotgun shack.
For having lots of land around the house there is not much that can beat a farm in Iowa.
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