<p>I didn’t know much about Bucks County, and still don’t know that much. We’d occasionally go there for a kids’ hockey game, but that’s very directed driving, and we didn’t pay attention. </p>
<p>More recently, my FIL bought a wonderful old house and they moved there from CA. I don’t think they expected the weather being as cold as it was last winter, and they’ve rented an apartment in CA to escape the winter and see their old friends. As much as I like having them nearby, I think moving there was impulsive and I think they’ll head to a warmer climate soon. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t call PA a tax haven, but we can sell our house, buy a nice stone house, spend a few dollars on “making it ours,” and probably still bank a few bucks. </p>
<p>We are currently 10-15 minutes from Newark Airport, which is convenient, but an hour or hour and a half to the airport wouldn’t be deadly; the kids could still fly in easily and we would find it easy to catch a flight ourselves. </p>
<p>HI supposedly does pay per student for public schools (in very convoluted calculations), not by property taxes. Our public schools poor quality has most public school teachers and administrators and legislators spending after tax $$$$ to send their kids to private schools. </p>
<p>Our lower property tax areas of the state still have trouble attracting great teachers and getting good facilities and more. </p>
<p>@dstark, I was beginning to research places to retire, but it has recently become clear that my wife will continue working for 3-6 (or more) years. Long story, but probably going to be like that. So, I’ve backed off on researching retirement locations since we will be here for a while.</p>
<p>On the airports issue, Philadelphia International is closer (40 miles rather than ~65), which I discovered. I’m so accustomed to Newark and my in-laws usually use Newark (parking car with us and getting a ride) that I didn’t consider Philly. </p>
<p>I keep thinking of Bucks County because I love old stone houses, lots of land for the dogs to enjoy, down-to-earth neighbors and townspeople, good dining options at reasonable prices, etc. Well, who knows what I’ll think in a half dozen years.</p>
<p>“I keep thinking of Bucks County because I love old stone houses, lots of land for the dogs to enjoy, down-to-earth neighbors and townspeople, good dining options at reasonable prices, etc. Well, who knows what I’ll think in a half dozen years.”</p>
<p>I can see that lifestyle as appealing. :)</p>
<p>A lot can happen in 6 years. For one, within the last 6 years your wife put off retiring. </p>
<p>Oh, I understand that, Tom. It was his comment about loving the old stone farmhouses with lots of land that prompted my reply. My parents lived in New Hope for several years.</p>
<p>Yes, we currently live in Essex County, and we could probably be very happy in a house in Bucks County that costs half of what we can sell ours for, and that has property taxes a quarter of what ours currently are. While trying to convince my wife to retire, I spent some time on Zillow; there are some beautiful homes that I showed my wife, but I could not sufficiently entice her :). </p>
<p>As dstark says, a lot can happen in 6 years, but we have so consistently lived below our means that the expense of a retirement home is less the issue than finding a suitable place.</p>
<p>I just want to make sure… Assessed value is market value in NJ? So you can pay 3 percent of market value in property tax in NJ? I realize some areas might be a little less but 3 percent? </p>
<p>@dstark, yes, it is insane. I sometimes think that assessed value is higher than market value. A lot of people hire attorneys to dispute assessments, sometimes successfully. I guess I should look into it since we will be here for a while. My theory is that, given an assessment x, I sound be able to say, “Sold! For .85x to the man with the clipboard.”</p>
<p>In my town, the tax rate is <2%. It is still a lot of money every year.</p>
<p>More than that, we don’t like 80% of the people in town. 20% are fine, but most of the rest are not our style. It was, especially 20 years ago, a good place to raise kids, but the town, IMO, became a victim of its success.</p>
<p>I don’t expect that we will stay here, although we like our house a lot. It might be tough to sell. It’s a 1920s Tudor which we’ve expanded and renovated, but tried to keep “old.” Most recent buyers are looking for a Tony Soprano style house (I guess I’m dating myself, should have said Real Housewives style house): double high ceilings in the entrance, marble everywhere, more money than taste. We also spent a fair amount on landscaping, but we did it all wrong for resale – you can’t play golf on our grass, but the dogs have a good time and there are beautiful trees. Well, either someone likes it and buys it, or they but it as a tear down. </p>
<p>Home prices have appreciated around 4 percent a year…generally over a long period of time. Maybe a little lower or a little higher. It does depend on the area. So… At 4 percent you are giving that appreciation to the tax man. (If the assessed value is market value or more). Sometimes the assessed value is lower than the market rate so 4 percent overstates the real tax rate. </p>
<p>In Calif…the tax rate is closer to 1 percent of assessed value. I pay less than 1 percent of market value. </p>
<p>2 percent is not awesome either. Better than 3 or 4 percent. I don’t know any place that taxes at 4 percent of market value.</p>
<p>80 percent of our last neighborhood wasn’t our style. We moved. Much better now. Too many type A personalities and alpha dogs for me in the last area. It was just too competitive. This need to win is a little silly to me. I don’t understand what people are trying to win. We are all temporary here. :)</p>
<p>I had a Leave it to Beaver type house. Now I am dating myself. It was a good family house. It was not an executive type house or a place to wow people. We sold it to a family of 5. I heard they love the house. </p>
<p>I don’t know your area, but if you and your wife like your house a lot, I bet others will too. Or they will tear it down as you said. :)</p>
<p>A friend of mine had one of the nicest houses I have seen. Nothing pretentious. Understated. Glass doors instead of windows. Very open. Views of Mt Tam. Parts of SF bay. She had to sell because she divorced her husband. I heard the buyer is going to do a huge remodel. :)</p>
<p>@tom1944, I never knew that. I thought it was 100%. I looked, and my town is 0.87. Are they saying that my property is actually “worth” 1/.87? Maybe I should get an attorney to look into it; there is NO WAY </p>
<p>Yes but it applies to the entire town not just one house so in that situation the tax rate is lower. Bottom line is they raise the revenue they want/need and set the rate based on the value of the assessed property in consideration of the equalization ratio.</p>
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