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Post by wildhorseluvr on Apr 18, 2016 18:34:04 GMT
I'm in the middle of having some major cleanup done around my place. This is an old homestead and some of the trees have died or become dangerous. The tree removal service has taken out 7 big trees so far, will remove at least 6 more, and do a lot of serious trimming and other cleanup. Because some of the big trees (planted early '40s) were very close to the front door of one of the two houses, the roots did considerable damage to the walkway and patio. The guys are going to break up the concrete and haul it off.
So now I have a lot more sun in the yard and on the old house. Need to figure out what to replant both for shade and just for looks, and also need a new patio and walkway. A concrete patio the size I'd like will probably not fit in my budget, and I've had several people tell me that doing so would raise my property taxes for sure. Being on a limited income, I can't do anything that will increase my taxes. Would using the red paving bricks would be a better route to go? What about planting more trees, bushes, etc...will that add to my property value? And if that's true, then wouldn't losing so many huge trees cause a decrease in value?
I don't know if I could just walk into the assessors office and ask what changes will or won't increase my taxes, and I'm a little concerned doing so might trigger them coming out and snooping around to see what else they can tax. I won't be doing any fancy landscaping projects like homes in the city, only replacing some of what I've lost. I just don't want to make decisions that will cost me long term after the initial expense.
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Post by richnc on Apr 18, 2016 21:50:22 GMT
I'm in the middle of having some major cleanup done around my place. This is an old homestead and some of the trees have died or become dangerous. The tree removal service has taken out 7 big trees so far, will remove at least 6 more, and do a lot of serious trimming and other cleanup. Because some of the big trees (planted early '40s) were very close to the front door of one of the two houses, the roots did considerable damage to the walkway and patio. The guys are going to break up the concrete and haul it off. So now I have a lot more sun in the yard and on the old house. Need to figure out what to replant both for shade and just for looks, and also need a new patio and walkway. A concrete patio the size I'd like will probably not fit in my budget, and I've had several people tell me that doing so would raise my property taxes for sure. Being on a limited income, I can't do anything that will increase my taxes. Would using the red paving bricks would be a better route to go? What about planting more trees, bushes, etc...will that add to my property value? And if that's true, then wouldn't losing so many huge trees cause a decrease in value? I don't know if I could just walk into the assessors office and ask what changes will or won't increase my taxes, and I'm a little concerned doing so might trigger them coming out and snooping around to see what else they can tax. I won't be doing any fancy landscaping projects like homes in the city, only replacing some of what I've lost. I just don't want to make decisions that will cost me long term after the initial expense. My goodness, I understand your concerns. However, not aht it has happened to me, but removing old dead and dangerous trees is a PLUS for your property tax wise, not a minus, if you know what I mean, meaning a place that just looks all around abandoned and run down is going to have (generally) a lower tax base than a place that is all nice and spiffy! |
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Post by Maura on Apr 18, 2016 23:01:14 GMT
As a former assessor
Your property value is based on two prime factors. First is the land. Where it is located (golf course, wrong side of the tracks,…), the front footage. This is your starting point in determining land value. People often think their taxes should remain the same because they have done nothing to the house, but the increase in value is due to the desirability of the location.
The second value is the house. How well it was built, how old it is, how much square footage. After that, tack on for a garage, sheds, and other outbuildings.
If you are removing old trees and adding new ones, then you are not adding value, just replacing. Photos showing before and after would be helpful if you have to argue your case. Same with porches. If you had to take off a deck and put up a new one, you are replacing old with new, not adding. In Michigan, you can’t have your taxable value go up when replacing old with new, but it varies state to state.
Landscaping rarely effects the value of the property. If your have trees and lilac bushes, your neighbors probably do also, and the location’s desirability determines the value. As an assessor, I would be unlikely to add value to your place for landscaping unless it’s something pretty fantastic and something upscale to the neighborhood. I would also look at past sales to determine if added landscaping actually adds value to properties in the area. Most buyers are looking at the house and garage, not terracing and rose bushes when it gets down to dollars and cents.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Apr 18, 2016 23:54:05 GMT
Richnc, yes, the place is looking much better already. The trees were badly overgrown, dropping huge limbs in windstorms, and I've been worried some of the trees might come down in a storm. For the last couple years I've slept on the living room couch whenever we have a windstorm as I've been very concerned about 3 huge trees just outside my bedroom. The tree service guys were really concerned and said those three were really dangerous. So even though this is pretty expensive, it will be well worth it in terms of safety and appearance.
Maura, thank you, that is just the info I was needing. As soon as they finish grinding out the stumps near the front door, I'm going to take photos of the horrible walkway and patio before they break it up and haul it off. A "before & after" notebook is a good idea. I wouldn't have any trouble proving this project is simply necessary replacements.
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Post by here to stay on Apr 19, 2016 15:49:24 GMT
I just grabbed my chest in distress.... haul away broken concrete?  ? The best cheap material for raised beds? In fact, when my neighbors broke up their old patio, they brought the pieces here for "disposal." I'm not kidding. If you can get them to break it up into manageable size pieces, it can be stacked like brick to make walls for containing soil. Nicely aged with irregular surface on the broken edges, but a relatively uniform thickness, looks pretty good and certainly wins the prize for cheap and durable. |
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Post by Callie on Apr 19, 2016 16:29:03 GMT
I just grabbed my chest in distress.... haul away broken concrete? ? The best cheap material for raised beds? In fact, when my neighbors broke up their old patio, they brought the pieces here for "disposal." I'm not kidding. If you can get them to break it up into manageable size pieces, it can be stacked like brick to make walls for containing soil. Nicely aged with irregular surface on the broken edges, but a relatively uniform thickness, looks pretty good and certainly wins the prize for cheap and durable. I've also used broken concrete! Years ago, we built a rock wall 60 ft long on a very steep hillside to create planting beds. We moved away almost 20 years ago, but those beds are still there and beautiful! In my experiencing, landscaping can affect the value of your home and thus the taxes, but you'd be talking a TON of landscaping - such as a pool, outdoor kitchen, etc...and often, even that doesn't affect the real value of the home. Mostly, it's the resale value of the home that goes up or down according to landscaping. For example, a home with a nicely landscaped yard might help it sell faster than the neighbor's weedly, overgrown, 20-yr old shrubbed foundation plantings. And at the same time, a home with a ton of perennial flowers, though beautiful, might sell more slowly than a simply landscaped ( less work) home. Taking out trees and make a property less of an problem, unless extreme, probably won't affect your taxes all that much. Taxes are based on a percentage of the home's value. However, it will make it nicer for you, and easier to resell. Not that you want to sell but your property is an investment and doing little things along the way can only protect that investment. |
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Post by spacecase0 on Apr 20, 2016 0:45:04 GMT
some places tax you on each tree you have on your land, others tax you on each one you cut down,
some tax you on concrete you poor, but not if you do it in square foot sections or use paving stones...
all of what you are worried about depends on where you live and what they tax there
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Apr 20, 2016 1:29:10 GMT
Thanks, everyone, I appreciate all the responses. Gives me a lot to think about.
I hadn't even thought about using concrete for raised beds.
I live a few miles outside a small town on the "nice" side of town, but it's almost all small or large farms (mine's one of the small ones). Most of the places near me are older homesteads like mine. Most are decently maintained but there's no keeping up with the Jones'. Everyone does their own yard work and landscaping, nothing professional.
We got a new tax assessor several years ago, he seems to look for anything and everything he can possibly wring an extra penny from, which is why I'm cautious about having anything done around this place. This year he's decided to tax small businesses on the decorations they have inside their buildings. This is a lower income town, most businesses just decorate with things from home...saddles and other western decor, inexpensive prints, etc. Now many business owners are taking their stuff home so they don't end up with higher taxes.
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Post by richnc on Apr 20, 2016 1:44:56 GMT
some places tax you on each tree you have on your land, others tax you on each one you cut down, some tax you on concrete you poor, but not if you do it in square foot sections or use paving stones... all of what you are worried about depends on where you live and what they tax there Having never heard of anything like "tree taxes" can you tell me what state in the US taxes you (unless you are a tree farm) on the number of trees you have or don't have in your yard?? |
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Post by spacecase0 on Apr 20, 2016 2:54:40 GMT
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Post by Maura on Apr 20, 2016 22:54:24 GMT
Wild Horse, this is why before and after photos are imperative, so you can show that you are only replacing. As for the businesses, any not for sale item in a store is taxable as personal property. The furniture and signs are personal property (not part of the real (building itself) property). So, if you put a price tag on that saddle, it is no longer personal property. Also, your state may give exemptions for PP less than a certain amount, in large part because if it totals to less than a thousand dollars, it’s not worth the value of sending out a statement. Something to look into if you are a small business owner.
Your state should have a website with the compiled laws. Go there and find out how your property is taxed and if you have any kind of replacement exemption.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Apr 21, 2016 5:23:12 GMT
Maura, thank you again. I took a number of before pictures, and this afternoon went out and took quite a few after pics. There should be plenty of evidence how many trees were removed and why. I had 3 huge trees taken down that I had initially decided to just have trimmed. After some serious trimming, the guys told me they still weren't confident they were safe so I insisted they take them down. One had so many rotten branches that the crew cheered when it finally went down. The second broke in several pieces when it fell. The last one was downright scary as we got a strong wind just as they made the first cut. Very dangerous to continue but too late to stop. They finally got it down and the trunk split. I feel a LOT better knowing those trees are gone. Ten down, 7 more to go.
I also took took pics of the badly damaged (from the tree roots) concrete walkway and patio, which also will be proof of the size of the original. Hopefully the photos will save me some grief in the future.
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? The best cheap material for raised beds?
