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That was my question too..... but I was afraid to ask.
It is very attractive either way.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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No way; my 1200sq ft home was built during 1942. While less of an issue in the current housing bust, the Politburo (whoops, Village Trustees) likely considers my kind to be squatters that they would just as soon have "move on or die off".
Lest one wonder; of the 34 single family detached homes on my street, here is the "scorecard":
Oh and finally, Quinn's Coffee House is the "table with a view' that I have referenced in various prior postings.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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As much as I'd love living along the "Racetrack" those prop taxes are a bit more than my small pension could handle. The RBT "Railroad Bob Trust" pays just under $700 annually for an 1800 sq. ft. 3 bedroom ranch home in East SD County, CA. Property has been in the family since 1955, when my dad bought it new. It's low due to an ordinance passed back in the 70's allowing a max increase of 1% a year, no matter the actual market value of the property. IF the prop is sold, the new owner gets reassessed at the true rate, which for this house would probably be about your rate, Mr. N.
So..many of us pensioners must stay where we are- or risk the reassessment. There is a movement afoot to toss out the ordinance, but it's not politically popular with the senior set...you can see why! Nice house there in CH, though...plus you get the Racetrack and a true "4 season" lifestyle-
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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looking at thosefigures I guess I was lucky. In 4 hours I had 3 contracts and during the week 7backups. The one I chose was full asking price and no consesessions.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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I didn't mean to be rude, but all I got when I pulled up the link was the picture, no story. The proposition to which Railroad Bob refers allows me to think of my $7,000/yr property taxes as still low relative to other locales, even if my neighbor could be paying less than 1/3 that amount if he's been in his house for a long time. It's also what decimated County budgets out here, from which they've never really recovered (or adapted to, since it was passed in 1978).
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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And just ot bring it back to Amtrak, thinking I have money allows me to take frivolous trips on Amtrak! Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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I vote for frivolous Amtrak trips..... and I'll hold with my current property taxes which are between those of Mr. Bob and Mr. GBN..... though trending closer to Mr. Bob!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Not my house, but how would you like to live here?
Turn the dial for "the view'.
BTW, I do know the family living there and be it assured thay are "most definitely" NOT railfans.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Gee, I guess I'm lucky to be paying approximately half of what you folks in Chicago and California are paying for property taxes -- and that is for a 4-BR 2-bath home (with the "model train room" addition I had built a few years ago)
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote:Originally posted by RR4me: I didn't mean to be rude, but all I got when I pulled up the link was the picture, no story. The proposition to which Railroad Bob refers allows me to think of my $7,000/yr property taxes as still low relative to other locales, even if my neighbor could be paying less than 1/3 that amount if he's been in his house for a long time. It's also what decimated County budgets out here, from which they've never really recovered (or adapted to, since it was passed in 1978).
Good point and it's true that artificially low taxes for some, and not others seems somehow intrinsically unfair- and of course that the various taxing agencies need the money to "run the show." I know my neighbor across the street who bought in 2006 probably pays about 3 times what I do for the same sized house.
The whole point of the orig. 1970's ordinance was to keep the retired pensioners in their homes, correct RR4me? If I got suddenly raised to the "full rate" it would cost me almost 4 months of pension money. I would have to sell and move to a small condo or apt. And have the same problem there (if a condo I'd pay the full 2010 freight.) Still, when I "go to my glory" the $700 is history and the next occupant will go full rate. The governments know this and probably can't wait!
Lastly, there must be some members here who pay NOTHING in prop taxes? I know some states (not sure which) have no prop tax at all on personal houses. Mr. Norman just happens to live in one of the most expensive states -- I've heard $10-15K a year in the 'burbs' of Chicago is not all that unusual...and about what the owner of the Clarendon McMansion might have to pay. Also, I cannot do any "improvements" on my old house such as add a room- if so full reassessment on the main house. (I did put on a roof in 2009 which did not trigger reassessment.) My cousin in Naperville just west of Mr. Norman was literally "taxed out" of town- he took his money and bought a golf course home in Green Valley, AZ and is happy as a clam (or lizard- it's pretty hot down there for me!) I apologize for the long-winded post, guys... Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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My s-i-l lives in Trumbull, CT Years ago my b-i-l arranged with the tax office not to pay taxes until they sell the house or die.at which point the estate will owe the money. Apparently this is common up there. We have ,in Arlington, a realestaTE RELIEF LAW, It applies to seniors and the disabled who make a certain amt . I think this year the cut off is $70,00 . Of course there are so many Gov't forms to fill out that some people would rather pay and be don with it.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:My 2009 Real Estate Taxes (it's public record) are $6034.98; that McMansion pictured is likely in the range of $15K.[/QB]
You pay that each year, even retired? Ouch. The direct tax I pay on my 4-bed is $2600 (higher than the average house price for the area and the country as a whole). Most of that goes to local drains, sorry, government such as local fire/police, non-national roads, parks, street cleaning, housing benefits for the unfit/lazy, etc. However, we do of course pay other taxes which I know are higher than wage earners in the US. Swings and roundabouts I guess. Dare I mention about 7% of my wage goes towards NHS healthcare (I'm in the higher bracket of such tax though)?
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Sounds like Quinn's Coffee would be a place I would love. How close is it to the tracks?
Around 1990, my employer sent me to a week of school run by Arthur Andersen Consulting in St. Charles IL, which is not far from Clarendon Hills. Three of us got $500 plane tickets. I promptly returned mine and bought a train ticket, round trip MSP-CHI for $99. Metro to Aurora and cab to St. Charles. I am so glad I didn't fly.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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Again, allow me to note, that Quinn's is the coffee house having "tables with a view".
Even if this restaurant appears more a "gin mill' than anything else (I've never been), it does offer summertime outside "TWAV". But whatever, he's "doing OK", especially considering that one previous incarnation there flopped.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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When I lived in Alabama, 3 years ago, for 2 years my property taxes were $0.00. I found out that if you were disabled, you paid nothing. But I had to come back to the snow and move back to Wisconsin. But I'm only 60 miles to my Amtrak station.
Posts: 39 | From: Saint Croix Falls | Registered: Aug 2005
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Similarly to Mr Mayo for my 4 bedroomed house I pay about $1750 a year for what is termed "Council Tax" i.e all those things that the local government is supposed to provide and keep in good running order (but sometime doesn't!) and is paid in 10 monthly installments.
Unlike Mr Mayo, where I live, which is a very rural area, we don't obviously have all the benefits that he has living in one of the most modern towns in Britain and, therefore, our taxes are slightly lower.
which is something to be thankful for. Sorry Geoff - couldn't resist it.
Admittedly scared the life out of me the first few times I drove over it, and those were at night, quiet compared to daytime. But once you're used to it you can take shortcuts around the traffic that congregates around the south side. This or one other roundabout are always on the driving test route!
Western Colorado seems to have a lot of roundabouts (rotaries?) for some reason.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Yes, you Brits sure love your roundabouts. I guess if all drivers could accept that others are also paying to use it, they'd be OK.
However, it doesn't take too much more than an 85 IQ to know 'the rest of the story".
They abound in the Northeast (well, WADDAYASPECK New England), and I get all I want of them when I'm out there. However, the scariest one I can recall once navigating is in Port Antonio, Jamaica (never did too much in the way of driving during any of my visits to the UK over the years).
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I just tried to imagine both a roundabout and driving on the left side of the road, and experienced a cognitive hiccup. I hope I don't dream about it. I assume they go around clockwise.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: Yes, you Brits sure love your roundabouts. I guess if all drivers could accept that others are also paying to use it, they'd be OK.
Most work very well - far better than traffic lights where you're sitting there and nothing else is moving. With roughly even amounts of traffic on each entrance, traffic flows much more fluidly.
quote:Originally posted by TwinStarRocket: I just tried to imagine both a roundabout and driving on the left side of the road, and experienced a cognitive hiccup. I hope I don't dream about it. I assume they go around clockwise.
They do - except the one noted above! Well, each of the 5 individual roundabouts operate clockwise as normal, but if you consider the bit in the centre to be a roundabout then you actually go around that anti-clockwise (or counter clockwise if you prefer). The "terrifying" part of it is the fact they are so close to each other and you have to look in both directions to ensure your entrance AND your exit is clear (since you shouldn't block a roundabout) - and be in the correct lane.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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You are correct RR Bob, and I am not complaining - it was a godsend to my inlaws as well.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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Wisconsin has just about taxed me out of town. I pay almost $6K per year property taxes on a 1400 sq foot 2 Bedroom, 2-bath ranch on a 1/2 acre fenced city lot in view of an interstate highway. Add to that a high state tax, and I'm outta here in the next year or so. As a retired widow in her 60's with no defined pension, I really can't afford to stay here.
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Judy McFarland: I pay almost $6K per year property taxes [...] as a retired widow
Thanks for answering my question!
Since this thread is OT anyway, I would like to ask another question: $75,000 nice, newish 3-bed home in the north San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. But $900 per month association fees in a gated community (and probably excludes all taxes). Does that sound right?
Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Oh I think I've just worked out the answer to my own question. The house is purchased but the land is leased - what we would call leasehold, as opposed to freehold where you own the building AND the land.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Even now I still chuckle at the memory from some 35 years ago when my Aunt, who had emigrated to the States when she married her American husband, visited the UK and hired a car for their stay.
He had never seen a roundabout before and, wanting to take the "3 O'clock" exit, instead of going clockwise through 270 degrees just went counter-clockwise and straight out!
Fortunately, it was a quiet road and nothing was coming the other way but the look on some pedestrians faces was a picture.
Posts: 395 | From: england | Registered: Sep 2002
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Until I read this thread, I had never heard the word "roundabout" used to describe what we Americans call a "traffic circle!"
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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I can sympathize with your relatives in the roundabout, Mr. Williams.
When renting a car in London, I was so focused on the left hand driving thing, I was totally confused when I encountered the roundabouts. A Britrail pass was a much better solution to our travel plans.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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