Always check the school district taxes because they will generally be your biggest tax bill. Our Dallas suburb is at about $1.74 per $100 in valuation and we have no homestead exemption.

So one of my questions got lost somehere. Here is it again. In Houston, are the properyt taxes assessed on structure, land or both.

Property taxes are paid based on the appraised value of your home (including land value plus improvements); however, for Harris County tax purposes, if you claim (and file for) a homestead exemption, you pay taxes on the "taxable value", which is your appraised value reduced by 20%.

Sussan

So homestead exemption to reduce appraised value by 20% is available only in Harris county or anywhere in Texas?

Homestead is available everywhere in Texas. You have to have owned the house for a year to get it.

Yes, the homestead exemption is available throughout Texas, although each taxing authority has the option of deciding the amount of the exemption, up to 20%. Also, I'm not so sure you have to have owned your house for a year to claim it. It's my understanding that you just have to have owned your house on January 1 of the year you're claiming it. Anyway, you should check on that.

Susan

The homestead exemption is totally optional for the taxing entity. We had the entire 20 percent when we bought our house and it was eliminated gradually during the past few years because the school district needed extra money. (Texas' school finance system is in big trouble.) On the bright side, the exemption can also be reinstated.

I am in a similar boat. I can work out of my home so am thinking of moving someplace warmer than Minnesota. We also like lake activities. So I searched the country on the internet, found and visited Lake Conroe last week and actually have a contract on this property:

http://www.har.com/search/IDX/DispSe...WS&sTYPE=0

But I am wondering if I should stick it out and go through with it. It is a big change for us. I am not sure my clients like that I am moving further away. We will also be away from family, but should have a nice place for them to visit!

Basically, I was looking for a place on a lake, in warmer climate, close proximity to airport for travel a couple of times a month, and with good other recreational activities. Here we are on a golf course on a lake. This house would sell for several million with this lot on a lake here in MN, so seems like a good deal, but a lot of work to move down there. The house was appraised at and first listed at $1.2M a couple of years ago, but is now down to $900K. The interior, though elegant, needs some work, particularly the bathrooms and kitchen to look as nice as other homes in the higher price range.

One of my clients is in MN, so I have set this up with them that I am moving for the winter months, will work remote, and and will be back in the summer. So we are trying to figure out where we will live for the summer in MN, and plan to rent out this place on Lake Conroe as a vacation spot in the summer.

I need to decide in the next day or two to go through with this move. The family wants to do it but I have reservations about it. Potentially very fun, you can actually do something outside for more than 6 months out of the year, it may be a good investment, or may be a crash, a lot of work to move everything down there, potential for loosing some of my work by being too much out of sight out of mind, and its more than I am paying here now.

Searching the net to see what other people think of the area. Basically I am trying to see if I can work out what retirees are able to do and move south for the winter. Though, my winter needs to be the length of the school year.

Any thoughts?

Jayne1973 and Mollie,
Sorry, I just saw your 30 Sept questions re: Mexico.
Kindly e-mail me and we'll not corrupt this thread ([email protected]).

Just got my RISD property tax bill of $5174.50 and am awaiting my Dallas City and Dallas County statements (my homestead is appraised at $332.K.

M

I've lived in Dallas area for many many years and a few years ago had to spend the working week in Houston for over a year, I was out near Katy off I-10 and loved it, would happily move there.