Falling Home Prices Have Little Impact on House Taxes

By Carol Lee


Many homeowners have already been taken by surprise when the worth of their home suddenly seemed to hit freefall. It would definitely appear as though there should be one advantage to dropping home costs; however. Several homeowners assumed that when the value of their homes fell, their house taxes would as well. This has not been the case in many areas; nevertheless.

In some cases; homeowners have been shocked to discover that not just have their property tax bills not decreased, they have actually increased in some cases. This has been fairly a shock for homeowners as they struggle to comprehend why they're having to pay more in taxes on homes that aren't worth as much as they were only a year ago.

The reason for this relates to the complex manner in which property taxes are calculated in many areas. One of the greatest problems, especially in Nevada, is the fact that house tax increases were capped throughout the housing boom. During this time home values skyrocketed rapidly. Today, the values of homes in these same areas are falling; nevertheless, the decreases have not really been sufficient to compensate for the increases of only a few many years in the past. Consequently, the values of homes would need to decrease sharply more than a brief period of time in order for house tax expenses to decrease. While declining property values have definitely been a issue, they merely haven't decreased sufficient in many areas to provide any relief from house tax expenses.

As the rate of defaulted loans and foreclosures continue to soar in lots of locations, numerous counties have discovered that the charge of unpaid properties taxes is also on the rise. The metro Detroit region, in specific, is experiencing a record high rate of unpaid house taxes. Detroit is presently considered to be one of the worst housing markets within the United States based around the decline of housing prices and increase of foreclosures. The lack of jobs and weak economy within the higher Detroit area are regarded as to be the primary factors contributing to the housing crash within the region.

Even if house owners are paying their monthly mortgage loan payments on time they could still be at danger for losing their properties via foreclosure if they fail to pay their house taxes for three years in a row. In such situations, the county would then take control of the home and auction it off to spend the balance of taxes owed. Counties in the Detroit area are presently struggling to recoup hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid property taxes. The concern has had significant repercussions on counties in the greater Detroit region.

House owners who find they're behind around the property taxes can take some actions to stave off foreclosure. The first step is to start making payments on their taxes. Several homeowners make the mistake of thinking they are doomed if they can't pay off all of the taxes owed and thus pay absolutely nothing in any respect. Maintain in mind that making any payment, even if you can't pay all of the taxes, is better than having to pay absolutely nothing in any respect. If you aren't in a position to pay all of the taxes; at least try to spend off your oldest taxes initial. Remember that taxes which remain unpaid for 3 years consecutively places you at risk for foreclosure. Pay off the oldest taxes first to combat this risk.

You may also verify with your county to determine regardless of whether you may be eligible for an extension for property taxes which are unpaid. In some scenarios, the county treasurer may be able to grant you an exemption for your taxes if you are in a position to demonstrate extreme hardship. It's greatest to do this as early as possible; however, as you will find generally deadlines for the exemption applications.

In addition, verify with your mortgage company or bank to find out whether they offer any kind of program or loan that can supply you using the money needed to cover your taxes. It is never in the best interest of the bank to have the county take over the house, so they're often willing to work using the homeowner to avoid having this happen. Keep in thoughts; nevertheless, that when you do this will you will be taking on an increased debt burden.




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