Then I tackled the next big pain in my side ... my property tax bill. If you live in California, look out ... you're going to have a heart attack when you see what the Counties are doing with your values. I suppose it's a good thing they are raising values after our horrible decline because that means my mortgage is not upside down any more. The problem is that they are raising it MUCH faster than they lowered it. My value jumped 27% this year so you can imagine what happened to the bill. I was the Property Tax Manager for this county for over 10 years, so I know the system ... I just thought I'd see how they would explain this. Nice guy ... and as you can see, I'm not using bad words. Here's how it works ... and it's pretty much the exact same across the state. Properties are coded ... single family small lot, single family 1-2 acre lot, farm property and so on. If ANY home sells with that code, it will automatically jump the value of all same-coded properties (especially when there has been a decline). Two houses over 10 miles from me sold for really high prices, resulting in the system upping my valuation (and everyone else's coded the same) by $100,000. Pretty crazy, right?? Doesn't Prop 13 hold the increase to 2% a year?? Not when there has been a value DROP. As long as the increase isn't more than what "would" have been 2% over the years it was decreased, they can jump you back up all at once. And that's what happened here. My tax bill this year is $1,000 more than last year. That's a pretty hefty jump all at once, but there's nothing I can do about it except move. Which is exactly what will happen ... people won't be able to afford the increase in taxes so they will either sell cheap or walk away from their loans ... and here we go all over again. The good news is that the County will have a windfall of money that they can squander and throw away on stupid projects instead of giving back the 5% cut in salaries they took the last three years. Me thinks it's time to get out of Dodge!! Any suggestions on where I might move???
While I should have spent yesterday washing the second half of the rig, I couldn't ignore the filthy dirty wood floors any more and commenced to skating on my knees for an hour. It helped get that property tax aggression out. The only way to really clean these floors is to get lots of rags and hot water and scrub away. Once clean, I hit it with Bona floor polish and step back to admire my handiwork. I think that deserves chocolate!! Really, I was just trying hard to come up with some excuse not to do the ladder exercises again.
A few more hours on the sewing machine and I have another quilt top finished ... or at least almost finished!! Today I'll take a quick trip to Clovis to check out a new-to-me quilt shop for border and backing material. At least this is a MANLY quilt instead of the usual flowery stuff. Ladies this quilt might just get you another trip to the fabric store for husband-approved material.
With the money and time you put into your house and the not so happy comments you have about it one has to ask, now that you are not underwater, when are you going to downsize? I would think it would certainly help your bank account. You should have a conversation with some of your friends as to what they want in a house and consider how their ideas might line up with yours. You need to get others ideas on housing just as you did on selecting an RV, the stuff to put in the RV and the places you go in the RV. One of the big mistakes I see is pre retirees buying the house they always wanted to live in when they could not afford it and then realizing "this is a lousy retirement home, too big, too much cost, too much work." Just some things to think about.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the sick puppy. Maybe she is trying to tell you it is time to get back on the road. If she was happy and healthy for six months and now sick at home, what does that suggest? Jim
I think you're right ... I need to talk to more people about where to live. I really do love my house and at the time I needed a larger place that would accommodate my horses since my brother moved and wanted to sell our ranch (two houses on 20 acres). In the end, it didn't sell and I was stuck with TWO houses!! That's been a deal breaker!!
DeleteI think it is time to make Texas or Florida your domicile. Down size, sell it all, live in your motorhome where ever you wish to travel to. NO state income tax will save you lots and lots of $$$$$$. However, you have to look at the impact on health insurance first. Marcia is on medicare, I am not there yet, and she has a AARP supplement which is recognized everywhere we travel. I, on the other hand, still have health insurance from Arkansas where I need to be there essentially to be in the network or pay through the nose for out-of-network coverage. However, not paying state income tax since moving to Florida has been very nice....and we intend to winter here since we do own a condo here....which one can pick up for about $60k give or take $10k, tax and insurance about $1k each per year and HOA of $2k per year. I find that to be fairly reasonable costs to enjoy 68 to 75 degree weather nearly all winter long. Also, just registered our car and motorhome for a total bill of $125 together, not each. Initial registration is where they collect the taxes, but even that was not bad compared to California DMV costs each year. --Dave (GoingRvWay.com)
ReplyDeleteWow Dave ... that certainly sounds like a money saving deal to me. I haven't been to Florida yet, but I loved Texas. My RV registration alone was $1500 ... good old California!!!
DeleteTake a trip over the hill on 88 to Carson Valley. Close enough to visit stuff in California, but don't have to deal with the mismanagement. We escaped 20 years ago...
ReplyDeleteI never thought of Carson Valley ... it certainly is beautiful there!! I think a trip over the hill is in order!! The more places I check out, the better decision I can make.
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