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Paying school tax on 2nd homes?

lefty louie

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I/e own a 2nd home we use on weekends and summer vacation, we don't rent it out so there is no possible way of us ever using the school district, yet we pay about 50% of or $3,000 property tax towards the school district.

It's gotten to the point we're thinking about listing the house and spending that 6K on a summer rental for 6 weeks, we'd still save thousands over the course of a year and not have the headache of homeownership.
 
I/e own a 2nd home we use on weekends and summer vacation, we don't rent it out so there is no possible way of us ever using the school district, yet we pay about 50% of or $3,000 property tax towards the school district.

It's gotten to the point we're thinking about listing the house and spending that 6K on a summer rental for 6 weeks, we'd still save thousands over the course of a year and not have the headache of homeownership.

Oh know. What a sad story. You realize education is primarily funded by property Tax right? Even though I hate to make a “think of the children argument...” seriously? It is your money of course. Your home. Do as you please. But any property tax you pay will go to education, and what about if you don’t have kids or don’t use those schools and send your kid to private school? Does that exempt you?

You want to fix it? Figure out a better system to fund education. There really isn’t any. And it sucks.
 
I/e own a 2nd home we use on weekends and summer vacation, we don't rent it out so there is no possible way of us ever using the school district, yet we pay about 50% of or $3,000 property tax towards the school district.

It's gotten to the point we're thinking about listing the house and spending that 6K on a summer rental for 6 weeks, we'd still save thousands over the course of a year and not have the headache of homeownership.

Are you saying people who don't have kids shouldn't have their taxes help pay for public education?
 
I/e own a 2nd home we use on weekends and summer vacation, we don't rent it out so there is no possible way of us ever using the school district, yet we pay about 50% of or $3,000 property tax towards the school district.

It's gotten to the point we're thinking about listing the house and spending that 6K on a summer rental for 6 weeks, we'd still save thousands over the course of a year and not have the headache of homeownership.

Have some kids and let them live in the house.
 
You may not be using the public schools there, but you are occupying a space that could be occupied by someone else who could use it as a first home, regularly pay local taxes along with their property taxes, and use the public school system. Sooo... kinda hard to feel bad when you second/third homers are driving up housing costs. :shrug:
 
I/e own a 2nd home we use on weekends and summer vacation, we don't rent it out so there is no possible way of us ever using the school district, yet we pay about 50% of or $3,000 property tax towards the school district.

It's gotten to the point we're thinking about listing the house and spending that 6K on a summer rental for 6 weeks, we'd still save thousands over the course of a year and not have the headache of homeownership.

Just think of school property taxes as your student loan payment that goes on forever.
 
I/e own a 2nd home we use on weekends and summer vacation, we don't rent it out so there is no possible way of us ever using the school district, yet we pay about 50% of or $3,000 property tax towards the school district.

It's gotten to the point we're thinking about listing the house and spending that 6K on a summer rental for 6 weeks, we'd still save thousands over the course of a year and not have the headache of homeownership.

If I make the rules you only get to deduct one mortgage on your taxes, so things could get worse.
 
Non-homestead taxes are insane in Michigan. I think they're about double the Homestead rate. I think it's supposed to discourage prospecting.
 
What I'm saying is, I pay a school tax within the state on 3 properties I own, the rental units could easily have children in them so I don't mind paying school taxes on them even if kids don't currently occupy the property, however taxing me twice for something is overboard. A good retort to paying the extra school tax is this. We lost our 2nd home to super storm Sandy, my insurance paid a certain amount, but FEMA gave us nothing (I'm not saying they should, but FEMA paid to every other home owner if it was their first home), because it was a 2nd home. If I can pay taxes like everyone else, why don't I get the full benefit like everyone else?
 
Oh know. What a sad story. You realize education is primarily funded by property Tax right? Even though I hate to make a “think of the children argument...” seriously? It is your money of course. Your home. Do as you please. But any property tax you pay will go to education, and what about if you don’t have kids or don’t use those schools and send your kid to private school? Does that exempt you?

You want to fix it? Figure out a better system to fund education. There really isn’t any. And it sucks.

The OP's point is that the tax rate is significantly higher on their 2nd home, than it is where they live year round.
 
i'm childless so far, and i don't mind paying taxes for schools. i'd prefer to have the most highly educated population that we can get.
 
You may not be using the public schools there, but you are occupying a space that could be occupied by someone else who could use it as a first home, regularly pay local taxes along with their property taxes, and use the public school system. Sooo... kinda hard to feel bad when you second/third homers are driving up housing costs. :shrug:

Again, I don't think the OP is looking for a reduced rate, just one that isn't nearly double the rate of his primary residence.
 
If I make the rules you only get to deduct one mortgage on your taxes, so things could get worse.

When all the 2nd home owners sell their 2nd's there will be a housing glut and values will fall, so will tax income, I guess you'll just raise the rate? How about learn to live on less, like working people do, govt. needs to learn that a little bit better.
 
Are you saying people who don't have kids shouldn't have their taxes help pay for public education?

There are more humans than seem sustainable at present technology. It is said that they are the best thing in life and that only through kids do you achieve fulfillment. So having them is not good for others but feels good to you. Why should someone that foregoes this greatest pleasure pay for someone that feeds overpopulation? ;)
 
What I'm saying is, I pay a school tax within the state on 3 properties I own, the rental units could easily have children in them so I don't mind paying school taxes on them even if kids don't currently occupy the property, however taxing me twice for something is overboard. A good retort to paying the extra school tax is this. We lost our 2nd home to super storm Sandy, my insurance paid a certain amount, but FEMA gave us nothing (I'm not saying they should, but FEMA paid to every other home owner if it was their first home), because it was a 2nd home. If I can pay taxes like everyone else, why don't I get the full benefit like everyone else?

FEMA doesn't get any of your property tax money.
 
Again, I don't think the OP is looking for a reduced rate, just one that isn't nearly double the rate of his primary residence.

Once again, why should the OP pay less when he and other summer/weekend home buyers are driving up housing costs for the working class man trying to afford that first home? Why should he pay less when he is contributing less to that community's local economy than the person/family that would permanently live there?
 
I/e own a 2nd home we use on weekends and summer vacation, we don't rent it out so there is no possible way of us ever using the school district, yet we pay about 50% of or $3,000 property tax towards the school district.

It's gotten to the point we're thinking about listing the house and spending that 6K on a summer rental for 6 weeks, we'd still save thousands over the course of a year and not have the headache of homeownership.

You own more than one home? Life must be so hard for you. :roll:

Pay your damn taxes.
 
Once again, why should the OP pay less when he and other summer/weekend home buyers are driving up housing costs for the working class man trying to afford that first home? Why should he pay less when he is contributing less to that community's local economy than the person/family that would permanently live there?

Where’s your problem with increasing prices? That brings money into the town in many ways.
 
Non-homestead taxes are insane in Michigan. I think they're about double the Homestead rate. I think it's supposed to discourage prospecting.

We absolutely should discourage speculation of sites. It is real estate speculation that creates the boom/busts our country has to suffer every decade or so.
 
When all the 2nd home owners sell their 2nd's there will be a housing glut and values will fall, so will tax income, I guess you'll just raise the rate? How about learn to live on less, like working people do, govt. needs to learn that a little bit better.

America has a developing housing shortage, so dont get the idea that I would mind. Have you noticed how the Celebrity Culture Porn Mags (OK!, Intouch, Lifestyle, and so on...) devote a bunch of pages to these homes they collect but often barely use? It has gotten pretty obscene with as much as most of America is suffering a downward trajectory of standard of living, dont expect much sympathy for your problem in America @2017.
 
Where’s your problem with increasing prices? That brings money into the town in many ways.

Not necessarily when it is just a summer/weekend home. A permanent resident would be contributing more to the local economy.
 
Once again, why should the OP pay less when he and other summer/weekend home buyers are driving up housing costs for the working class man trying to afford that first home? Why should he pay less when he is contributing less to that community's local economy than the person/family that would permanently live there?

The tax rate on a piece of property shouldn't be determined by whether or not the owner spends money in the community. If I own 2 houses next door to one another, I still pay non-homestead tax on the one I don't live in, even though I live and spend in the community.

And again, he's not looking to pay LESS than others (I assume), but the non-homestead rate is higher than the rate paid by homesteaders.
 
When all the 2nd home owners sell their 2nd's there will be a housing glut and values will fall

If all the 2nd home owners sold their 2nd homes then there would be a drop in housing costs meaning more people could afford them. There would also be less urban sprawl and urban blight.
 
The tax rate on a piece of property shouldn't be determined by whether or not the owner spends money in the community. If I own 2 houses next door to one another, I still pay non-homestead tax on the one I don't live in, even though I live and spend in the community.

And again, he's not looking to pay LESS than others (I assume), but the non-homestead rate is higher than the rate paid by homesteaders.


Homesteaders contribute more to the local economy. 2nd/3rd homers drive urban sprawl/blight which is costly to the taxpayers. I have absolutely no problem with them paying more.
 
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