Property Tax (Jackson County)
- Thread starter Bulldawg1995
- Start date
Yep, own land and two rental properties in Jackson County and mine more than doubled on both. Thankfully the land is in conservation.
You’re getting screwed by the millage rate. Not going to get much relief arguing valuation
If mine goes up that much it will be more than what I am looking at paying in property taxes for the homes in florida in my price range lol. This state is turning in to a joke if that happens.
Home values have been on the rise all over the place. Not much can be done about that except extreme outlier examples, but we can look at what's going on with the extra tax revenue and if budgets or other additional spending are being increased to take advantage of this extra money.
I'm curious where this rapidly increasing tax revenue is going and how many counties are doing rate reductions, holding firm, or daring to increase the rate.
I'm curious where this rapidly increasing tax revenue is going and how many counties are doing rate reductions, holding firm, or daring to increase the rate.
That's what we do with our property in Hancock County, where the millage rate is the highest the state allows. It's very rural, as most of Habcock is, dirt road that gets grader work maybe 1 time a year. That's the extent of the services the county provides.
It's easily the most inept county in the State. The courthouse has burned twice losing the property records. The only way they have any historical land records is because a local attorney copied the files. High taxes for worthless service & crappy schools. All due to decades of government incompetence.
I’ve been fighting w Hall County for a couple of years. They are more expensive than Gwinnett County. Not sure what sales date they use but they also charge extra if you live in one of the top neighborhoods. I don’t get why? Isn’t that double taxation
They use the prior year sales in your area/neighborhood. So for 2023 taxes, they use sales from 1/1/22 to 12/31/2022 as their baseline. There are also other tricks they can use such as neighborhood adjustments based on location, view, etc. Request the property record card from the county for the 2021-2023 and I would bet there is an additional adjustment applied that can't be seen online.
For the Jackson County folks, there are a couple of things in play, both good and not so good. For the value hike, it seems to me the county either did one of two things; either they revamped the cost tables within their appraisal system to a more "updated" value table or they hired a 3rd party valuation group to conduct a county wide revaluation. From what I am reading, land values skyrocketed. This screams a 3rd party revaluation in my opinion.
The town halls are or could be a positive. It is not unheard of for a county commission to listen to the taxpayers and force the assessors office to roll the property values back to the previous year. The other item, which has been mentioned, is the millage rate. I would expect a drop in millage rate, however I would not expect a substantial drop. The county will always contend they need the dollars for infrastructure, schools, etc. The estimate on your assessment notice is based on last year's millage so that number could and probably will change to some degree.
The town halls are or could be a positive. It is not unheard of for a county commission to listen to the taxpayers and force the assessors office to roll the property values back to the previous year. The other item, which has been mentioned, is the millage rate. I would expect a drop in millage rate, however I would not expect a substantial drop. The county will always contend they need the dollars for infrastructure, schools, etc. The estimate on your assessment notice is based on last year's millage so that number could and probably will change to some degree.
Here’s what I have learned over the years.
Start law establishes the methods and requires the county keep their tax digest up to date (increase values)
Tax assessors are upping their digest by a percentage in most cases using an across the board increase based upon sales, etc., not generally an individual assessment. Heads up - if you make any home improvements which require a building permit, you will be subject to evaluation. Assessors lowered values during the Recession when real estate tanked. State law requires both increases and reductions. Additionally, unless it’s been changed, state law requires an increase in assessment requires the county to lower its millage by the same percentage. Watch your local Govt. Elected officials and administrators will see an increase digest as a way to spend the bonus rather than holding the budget line, reducing millage thus taxes. Schools are notorious.
Property owners receive a notification when an increase is made. Those generally come out in the Spring. The notice offers you the opportunity to challenge the assessment, with a date by noted.
Good luck with an appeal. There is an appointed Board, my experience has been they side with the assessor. You can also file suit.
Assessments are going to increase along with corresponding higher taxes. Keep an eye on the millage. That’s a key. Also, School Bonds, County Bonds for Courthouses, Jails are tied in.
Hope this helps
Yeah, were in the same boat. I would love for my property to be worth what the county says its now worth... Purchased at $425k in 2021 but county now saying its $700+k.
We invest in real estate a bit... Not a major player or anything... just have a couple of rentals, have flipped a few houses over the years, have sold and cashed out our primary residences a couple of times when prices spiked, etc...
So if these valuations were anywhere near reasonable I'd sell in a second. I've done it before... In reality though, the value of my home may have gone up a little with the pandemic real estate peak... maybe worth $500k now but thats a big maybe.... and even trying to sell at $500k would be a task when the county is trying to tax it as a $700k house.
Assessments are only half of the story. Last year in Cherokee County our assessment went up significantly. However, the commissioners lowered the millage rate and final our tax bill was basically the same as the previous year.
There was a big uproar when the new assessment came out, because they gave you an estimate of the taxes based on last year’s millage rate. But that’s not the tax bill.
There was a big uproar when the new assessment came out, because they gave you an estimate of the taxes based on last year’s millage rate. But that’s not the tax bill.
Sales data is the determining factor for property values. Jackson county has had a tremendous growth in development, residential and commercial. The more the county grows, the cost for the county increases. The school population increases, that increases cost to the county, industrial development has seen a Hugh development and new companies create new jobs. All of this increases cost to the county, causing your taxes to increase. You can always move to a county that has bad schools and zero growth and have lower taxes. If I was raising a young family, I would move to Jackson county and pay the higher taxes.
You can appeal it. You will need to show reasonable comps and/or get it appraised. Unfortunately inventory is so low in most places but especially Jackson County. Didn’t y’all put a moratorium on new home builds?
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They are but nothing like what Jackson County is seeing. I got mine last week, taxes went up around $500 and value went up around $40k.
Fellow Jackson Co resident here. I plan to attend an upcoming town hall and ask the following question:
My property taxes went up 25% this year, 20% last year, yet at the most recent school board meeting the proposal was for a 2% + 2000 dollar raise for teachers in the county. I am comfortable paying additional taxes if the primary reasoning is our excellent school system, but help me understand where the other 42% is going? I’m sure I’ll get a fantastic answer.
My property taxes went up 25% this year, 20% last year, yet at the most recent school board meeting the proposal was for a 2% + 2000 dollar raise for teachers in the county. I am comfortable paying additional taxes if the primary reasoning is our excellent school system, but help me understand where the other 42% is going? I’m sure I’ll get a fantastic answer.
We moved last year out of Clarke and considered Jefferson for a bit until we got more acquainted with the area. High taxes because the mil rate is capped out (higher than Clarke's at this point if you live in Jefferson). Massive neighborhoods popping up and rapid development seems to be taxing the schools. We checked in on ratios for 1st grade and were told somewhere in the neighborhood of 22-24:1. General consensus seems to be that they are trying to pop like Buford and have that kind of rapid growth, which was enough for us to bail on the idea and move to Oconee. 10 mils lower on the rate compared to Jefferson.
It is a school system which is good
Must be something about those I85 counties because just up from Jackson, Franklin County has just sent out 2023 tax assessments with huge increases, I’ve heard Hart County as well.
Tax assessment states that the fair market value increase is based on: Building cost schedules updated to reflect market, land schedule updated to reflect current market.
My question is why does it not go down when the markets decrease? Counties are quick to take advantage of property price increases and they hold the millage rate, but when property value decreases they seem to increase the millage rate in order to maintain tax revenue.
It’s just frustrating especially for folks living in rural, agricultural counties that do not receive much in the form of tax benefits.
I’m just not sure the continued increases are sustainable for retired folks living on fixed incomes to be home owners in the future. Same for young couples with children trying to budget their incomes.
Tax assessment states that the fair market value increase is based on: Building cost schedules updated to reflect market, land schedule updated to reflect current market.
My question is why does it not go down when the markets decrease? Counties are quick to take advantage of property price increases and they hold the millage rate, but when property value decreases they seem to increase the millage rate in order to maintain tax revenue.
It’s just frustrating especially for folks living in rural, agricultural counties that do not receive much in the form of tax benefits.
I’m just not sure the continued increases are sustainable for retired folks living on fixed incomes to be home owners in the future. Same for young couples with children trying to budget their incomes.
You and some others are missing the point on what is going on here. Its not that taxes are going up significantly. Its that they are going up WAY above market value. Like 40% more. In the end, this doesnt help your home's market value, instead it becomes a negative.
Look at my situation strictly by the numbers.
Bought in 2021 near pandemic market peak at $421k
Assessed by the county in 2022 at $445k (pandemic market value now in there)
Assessed just one year later in 2023 at $725k!
I would love for my home to worth that much, but it simply isnt. Not even close. Bought it near the peak of the pandemic market after it had been up for sale for 9 months. Orginally priced at $510k.... owners couldnt get a buyer. We got it for $421k.
Now the county is telling me its market value is $725k.
Many others in the county are facing this as well. Its sadly simply not true. Our homes aren't worth that much... and now try selling a $450k home with the county taxing it like it is $725k and see what your offers look like.
Franklin County hired a 3rd party to do a county revaluation for 2023. We see these types of increases in those counties where the 3rd party does the revaluation all of the time. You should be able to file an appeal in Franklin and receive some relief on the increased value.
No.. it's a school system that is improving, but has major deficiencies vs. Oconee, Jefferson, Gwinnett, etc. Having worked there recently I can speak with some authority on that... The sooner they embrace the future the better, got a long way to go as the population grows. I think the new superintendent has them on a decent path, but time will tell.
Well, in fairness... its a tale of two cities in Jackson county.... there is West Jackson where all the money is near the massive development in the Braselton area... and then there is East Jackson. The two are as different as night and day.
100% spot on! If the county was a boat it would tip over on population/$$$ west vs. east
Yeah, I've been waiting on Franklin county taxes as well. I have a place up there that I bought for my mother to live near some other family members. I'm not expecting to big of a hit on hit though. Much smaller place on a half acre lot. But I'm still interested to see what the increases up there are. I haven't received that assessment yet. Last year the taxes were $1,300 on it... 4 years ago they were $800. So they have been climbing at a steady rate.
OK, to add to my post above. I just looked up our Franklin County assessment on qpublic.com (havent seen it in the mail yet)
They went up as well but nothing like Jackson county as far as percentages go.
The actual market value of the Franklin County home is probably somewhere around $200k.
The total assessment went up about 15% from $106k to $121k.
So contrast that to Jackson County....
Franklin County assesses our $200k property at $121k
Jackson County assesses our $450k property at $725k
This is what has people in an uproar in Jackson County... it's not the increase itself. It's the increase relative to the actual market value.
I would get a local real estate agent to provide you a recent sale comparison report and I would take that report and appeal the appraised value. You should be able to win your appeal. They have to be able to justify the value that they are putting on your house. There are also companies that will do this for you, for a fee. It sounds like you have a good case to appeal.
Yeah, I'm really not that concerned about it. My frustration is that I... and apparently thousands of other Jackson County Residents... even have to go through this at all. I'm fortunate in that I make a good living and can afford to go as far as I want in fighting this. And in the end, even if I lose, I'll simply pay the increase and go about my day.
Its just the frustration of having to deal with something so absurd.
I understand, it seems like local governments don’t like to work within a budget. Their appetite for our money is bottomless.
Mine went up 16%. I don’t have an issue paying taxes, just wish they would increase slightly every year instead of 1 big hit.
I’m now retired so it’s getting harder to justify being a property owner going forward. But I understand young families trying to budget during these tough economic times plus having to pay increased property tax.
If they get much higher we will need to drop the state income tax. Some places are getting to be just as bad as Florida if not worse.
I bought my home in June of 2020 and my initial mortgage was $1175~. In 2021 it went up like $20. in 2022 it jumped to $1375. Luckily I make enough that it did not kill me, but it was enough that I have noticed the hit. If I have another $200 a month spike I will probably have my house listed and sold before the end of June considering the equity I have in it.
Yep the attorney is an interesting man to talk to.
I’m in Jackson Co and my taxes went from $8000 last year to $11,500 this year. I’m also in my mid 60’s (so no kids in school) and my farm is in conservation easement. I’ll be there Monday night if I can get in the building. I have a feeling 1/2 of Jackson Co will be there.
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