OT: Old House in Belfast, ME

Here in New York you'd have to demolish the part of the house you no longer used to get away with lower taxes.  If it's standing, it gets taxed.  But I don't understand how you can be looking at a tax bill for a structure that doesn't exist yet...

Here in New York you'd have to demolish the part of the house you no longer used to get away with lower taxes.  If it's standing, it gets taxed.  But I don't understand how you can be looking at a tax bill for a structure that doesn't exist yet...

That's how I thought it went, Rainey.  To answer your question, you first have to submit plans to the city for approval, and so it begins...

Same here as New York,  Build your addition, get your different Building inspectors to sign off on the building permit...get an Occupancy certificate to move into your new addition and then they will tax you... they are slow on plowing and sanding the streets here but quick on sending out those tax bills....

I was surprised by that bit about Liz successfully petitioning to have her property taxes reduced due to the fact that half of Collinwood was closed off (which says a lot about the Collins' financial situation, don't you think?).  Do you know if that's really possible there?  I'm about to pay taxes here on an addition that's not even built yet.  :-

     I met an old women recently at her home. She showed me her sunroom.  It was just a small roof outside her dining room.  Her husband had removed all the screened walls.  The city told him he could reduce his taxes by dismantling it every autumn.  I guess every little bit helps.  However, I don't think they would let you just seal off parts of your house to avoid the taxes.  One eldrely women came into see the assessor to plead with them to lower her assessment.  She had a four bedroom house.  The assessor callously told her to sell her home because she no longer needed four bedrooms.  I think she would have gladly sealed off the rooms rather than be forced out of her home of 40 years.
   After I moved to Maine 17 years ago, California tried to collect income taxes from me.  The letter stated something about how they still considered me a resident eventhough I owned no property and was living in Maine.  Can you believe the gall?

This is such a lovely house. Taxes would be a real pain though. It sure is strange how taxes and house prices vary from state to state.

Misa