| Author |
Message |
    
Tracks
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 3:20 pm: |     |
Fairtax, that is very true. I would still encourage everyone who thinks their appraisal is not fair to appeal because it is better than going through the whole process again. Every town in NJ that goes through a reval faces the same issues and there is no real good solution short of the morons in Trenton fixing the problem by funding schools through some other source than property taxes. |
Thomas
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 6:54 pm: | |
Whats not fair is that our citizens will have to go through the appeals process just to get their values right. The township committee should be ashamed. just look at the new assesments, they are off. Done by a incompetent company chosen by the committee. why can't they just correct the errors. why can't they hire an appraiser to consult with them. If you look at the number you'll see the problem.
Also, lets stop defending Certified! They are the ones that put us in this predicament. |
Mediamaven
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 8:00 pm: | |
Come on people, Certified picked those re-evaluation numbers out of thin air. That's the dirty little secret of the reassessment. On my street two homes sold within the past year for well over $100,000 less than the old wreck in which I live and it's assessed at a value that would purchase a nice English castle these days, complete with moat.
Time to show up at the Township Committee meeting and raise hell. |
Dave
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 8:14 pm: | |
Jerry,
What are the weights assigned to each of the 3 yrs. that Certified used in determining market values? If 2000 was more heavily weighted, it would help to know by how much. Perhaps if each year was given equal weight in the cross-tabulations a different picture may emerge re: apportioning the tax burden evenly? All depends on how heavily they weighted 2000, I guess. And why.
Dave
ps. for the record I'm a South Orange homeowner. |
Jake
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 8:40 pm: | |
To rectify a tax problem/burden by creating a hardship situation elsewhere is not the answer! Contrary to the popular belief of some Maplewoodians that are misguided & ill-informed, not everyone on the West side is independently wealthy. The soak the "RICH" theory has effectly rocked this town and will eventually hurt everyone! Can anyone say So. Orange!! |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 9:42 pm: | |
Dave: sorry but I don't have a quantitative answer to your question. |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 10:08 pm: | |
Fairtax: I can actually believe substantial increases with no improvements. My house went from a bank appraisal of 275K in 1998 to a bank appraisal of 535K early this year with NO improvements between those two dates except for about $10K worth of new windows. And I have a bank appraisal that is two weeks old that matches up with my number from Certified.
If an individual has a data point that contradicts the number from Certified then that information has to be brought to the attention of Certified and/or the assessor. If that information is not taken into account when a revised number is issued, then you have a problem that has to be addressed with the assessor.
So again, I ask you, what specifically is "fair" in your view? A lower appraisal for your house? Or for your neighborhood? How much is "fair"? |
Buddy
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 10:18 pm: | |
Gerry: you posted this yesterday...
Face: people *were* seeking out reductions; the Township was losing tax appeals at a pretty brisk pace.Nobody appeals that their taxes are too low, though...
What are the ramifications of many west side homeowners appealing their assessments and winning? Won't this be even worse financially for the township than the "previous" lost appeals??? |
Gerardryan
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 10:35 pm: | |
When someone wins a tax appeal, or in this circumstance when someone has their assessment adjusted, the total assessment for the entire township is reduced. The tax rate is a calculation of how the entire amount to be raised by taxes is spread out over your property's piece of the entire assessment of the town. Appeals/adjustments do not change the total amount collected.
In other words, enough "lost appeals" or adjusted assessments will serve to raise the rate.
I think I posted a quick calculation that I did that said something like $5.5M worth of reductions in the assessments would change the rate from 2.66% to 2.67%. That would be $5 per 100K assessed valuation. |
Papa
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 10:39 pm: | |
People have to do what they have to do.....I am moving. that is a fact . I hope I can get a buyer, but I do not hold out much hope in that case .I will have to sell my house at a big loss to get out. \With the taxes going up the way they are it will be very hard..... |
Jur050
| | Posted on Monday, January 15, 2001 - 10:58 pm: | |
Papa, don't give up yet. We have "Proven Leadership" to help you. They have been working on finding a solution to this crisis. Answers may not come quickly, but answers will come. Perhaps we will learn more of the TC efforts by atteending the meeting at Town Hall tomorrow. |
Jake
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 9:23 am: | |
Mr Ryan's attempt to vindicate the TC's position is counterproductive & is the reason that people like Papa feel the need to move away from this great town. This "New Regime" that celebrated so gleefully at our towns 75th Aniversary because they had unseated the "old people who had run things for years,now it's our turn" had no idea of the dedication that it takes to maintain &run a stable, harmonious community. Keep proving your point, while more excellent citizens flee. Take solice in that, Mr Ryan. |
Tracks
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 10:17 am: | |
I would like to know what Papa means he has to sell his house at a big loss. How much of a loss? How much did he pay, what are his taxes, and what does he think he can sell it for? Tell us Papa so we understand the big picture.
I think the Town Council's mistake was in picking Certified. They are the ones who are doing the lousy job. A reval is required by law. Most towns put it off because of all the problems that are created by having one done. Trenton needs to redo the rules. |
Fairtax01
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 10:58 am: | |
Dear Jerry Ryan: I thought I answered your question as to what I considered "fair" - See Monday, Jan 15th at 12:43 pm. - 2nd paragraph.
It sounds like your assessment was fair. Many other citizens have recent bank appraisals that don't come close to Certified's numbers. I know, I know, they can appeal. Too bad for everyone; the town, the homeowners, the taxpayers who don't appeal and those who do. |
Dpc
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 1:42 pm: | |
I am actually a new resident of Maplewood. I purchased a house between Ridgewood and Wyoming. I placed my bid on or about the date at which Certified was certifying "market values". Their market value was exactly 100k more than the actual price i paid. |
Mammabear
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 2:07 pm: | |
Dpc- I feel very sorry for you, but there are two ways you can look at it...either they're wrong and you must appeal, or you got a great deal on your house! Heck, maybe it's a combination of the two! |
Movingtotown
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 2:21 pm: | |
TO "Dpc"
I was planning to become a new resident of Maplewood, but this whole re-assessment is scary. Is there a way I can find out the re-certified market value of a specific home that I am looking at?
From there, is there a formula to figure out what the annual taxes will be?
Please help if you can. Thank you. |
Dave23
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 2:34 pm: | |
Movingtotown:
I would simply have your realtor get the information for you. There's no way that they can hide it from you. To figure out the "new" (though not yet certified) tax burden, multiply the assessment by .0266.
If you can, maybe you should wait a while on your move. If you are looking on the west side, property values are guaranteed to come down.
Either way, I hope you end up in Maplewood. I bought in August and am facing a 50% increase in taxes. As frustrated as I am by this whole mess, it's really a great town. You just happen to have arrived at a particularly bad time.
Good luck. |
Dpc
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 2:52 pm: | |
mammabear.
i've already started the appeal process. i probably have a better case than many others because i can prove what the valuation of my house was on the "market value assesment day". its hard to argue that the market did not know the market value. I feel a lot of sympathy for others who can't point to the same. Hopefully this will cause them to look at other values in the neighborhood or at least give ammunition to others who are looking to appeal. |
Jake
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 3:00 pm: | |
A 50% + increase in any form of taxation in a 1 year period is ridiculous and far beyond what anyone can call "fair". Does anyone care that over the past 7 years, most real estate taxes throughout Maplewood have increased more than 40%. When will the madness end?? |
Dave23
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 3:06 pm: | |
Jake:
Of course, I agree. I fully expected to see a rise in taxes and figured that into determining what I could afford when I got my mortgage. But now...
I'm just hoping that the Township Committee can come up something a little more fair. But they are limited in what they can do, I think. I'm particularly concerned about my neighbors who are in their 80s. |
Lseltzer
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 4:07 pm: | |
>>Does anyone care that over the past 7 years, most real estate taxes throughout Maplewood have increased more than 40%
Jake: Where'd you get this number? Mine certainly haven't gone up anywhere near that, and the tax rate has to increase the same amount for everyone. |
Jake
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 6:27 pm: | |
Sorry seltzer....I made a mistake, my property taxes have risen 41%....Bully for you, maybe you have been underpaying, interesting!! |
Lseltzer
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - 9:53 pm: | |
Jake,
Since the property tax rate has not gone up much in the last few years, you must have made substantial improvements to your house in order to get an increase like that.
Interesting how you can see your own taxes go up 41% and conclude that "over the past 7 years, most real estate taxes throughout Maplewood have increased more than 40%." I got a new roof a few years ago. Does that mean that most houses throughout Maplewood have gotten new roofs in the last few years? |
Sullymw
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 17, 2001 - 8:56 am: | |
DPC:
How have you started the appeal process? I also have a good case, but I thought we were supposed to wait until we received the final letter at the end of January. |
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