Simple. The local assessor will give you the guidelines.
A comment on property taxes in NH; having been a resident of MA and NH
for my entire life, the property cost, on a per-square-foot basis, is
about the same in either MA or NH.... The tax rate is higher in NH,
but the houses are cheaper (somewhat), as the land costs can be
lower... (as an aside 'Live Free or Die' is an incredible fallacy)
Generally, square footage is most of the basis of property tax... as
is # bedrooms and baths...

"Dave C." wrote in message rthlink.net...
OK, getting ready to build soon in NH. Property taxes can be very high in
that state. As I can build just about anything I want, I'm trying to design
a house to minimize property taxes while maximizing flexibility. So I tried
to find the formula used to compute NH property value. All I found was:

http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/V/75/75-1.htm

Which seems to suggest that the tax assessor can just take a wild guess at
the property value. Anyone know if there is a general formula used, such as
(number bedrooms X year built X square footage X number of bathrooms, etc.)

I'll obviously know to the penny how much the property is worth when it's
built, but if the value rises significantly, so could the tax burden. So
I'm trying to find the formula used to determine property value.
Anyone? -Dave

On hotmail dot com, I am user "junknothankyou".

On 29 Jun 2003 10:33:51 -0700, someone wrote:

.... As I can build just about anything I want, I'm trying to design
a house to minimize property taxes.... So I tried
to find the formula used to compute NH property value....

I'll obviously know to the penny how much the property is worth when it's
built, but if the value rises significantly, so could the tax burden. So
I'm trying to find the formula used to determine property value.
Anyone? -Dave

Sorry I missed the OP. However, it is not nearly as much of a mystery
as the public seems to think. The basis for assessment is Fair Market
Value, which for a residential property is basically what it would
sell for on the open market.

Now, different assessors may have different manuals or tables or rules
of thumb to estimate FMV, especially to apply to houses that were
built not bought so there is not a "sale price" on record. But it
errs to think you could game the system in any useful way by studying
"formulas". In litigation, both sides would have appraisers to give
expert opinions on FMV, and not by blind reliance on a formula.

Nassau County NY years ago was notorious for having an official policy
of using a 1930's cost manual as the basis for value on the rolls, but
it didn't hold up for individual litigation of specific properties.

And BTW, no you will NOT necessarily know to the penny how much a
custom built house is "worth" initially. You will only know what it
COST. Customs are often worth LESS than cost initially (especially if
they have odd features intended to minimize tax and maximize
flexibility); one person's dream house is another's nightmare.

-v.

On 29 Jun 2003 10:33:51 -0700, someone wrote:

.... As I can build just about anything I want, I'm trying to design
a house to minimize property taxes.... So I tried
to find the formula used to compute NH property value....

I'll obviously know to the penny how much the property is worth when it's
built, but if the value rises significantly, so could the tax burden. So
I'm trying to find the formula used to determine property value.
Anyone? -Dave

Sorry I missed the OP. However, it is not nearly as much of a mystery
as the public seems to think. The basis for assessment is Fair Market
Value, which for a residential property is basically what it would
sell for on the open market.

Now, different assessors may have different manuals or tables or rules
of thumb to estimate FMV, especially to apply to houses that were
built not bought so there is not a "sale price" on record. But it
errs to think you could game the system in any useful way by studying
"formulas". In litigation, both sides would have appraisers to give
expert opinions on FMV, and not by blind reliance on a formula.

Nassau County NY years ago was notorious for having an official policy
of using a 1930's cost manual as the basis for value on the rolls, but
it didn't hold up for individual litigation of specific properties.

And BTW, no you will NOT necessarily know to the penny how much a
custom built house is "worth" initially. You will only know what it
COST. Customs are often worth LESS than cost initially (especially if
they have odd features intended to minimize tax and maximize
flexibility); one person's dream house is another's nightmare.

-v.

On 29 Jun 2003 10:33:51 -0700, someone wrote:

.... As I can build just about anything I want, I'm trying to design
a house to minimize property taxes.... So I tried
to find the formula used to compute NH property value....

I'll obviously know to the penny how much the property is worth when it's
built, but if the value rises significantly, so could the tax burden. So
I'm trying to find the formula used to determine property value.
Anyone? -Dave

Sorry I missed the OP. However, it is not nearly as much of a mystery
as the public seems to think. The basis for assessment is Fair Market
Value, which for a residential property is basically what it would
sell for on the open market.

Now, different assessors may have different manuals or tables or rules
of thumb to estimate FMV, especially to apply to houses that were
built not bought so there is not a "sale price" on record. But it
errs to think you could game the system in any useful way by studying
"formulas". In litigation, both sides would have appraisers to give
expert opinions on FMV, and not by blind reliance on a formula.

Nassau County NY years ago was notorious for having an official policy
of using a 1930's cost manual as the basis for value on the rolls, but
it didn't hold up for individual litigation of specific properties.

And BTW, no you will NOT necessarily know to the penny how much a
custom built house is "worth" initially. You will only know what it
COST. Customs are often worth LESS than cost initially (especially if
they have odd features intended to minimize tax and maximize
flexibility); one person's dream house is another's nightmare.

-v.

(snip)

And BTW, no you will NOT necessarily know to the penny how much a
custom built house is "worth" initially. You will only know what it
COST. Customs are often worth LESS than cost initially (especially if
they have odd features intended to minimize tax and maximize
flexibility); one person's dream house is another's nightmare.

-v.


Cool. I'm modding the heck outta it. I'll never sell it, so let it be
a nightmare . . . as long as the taxes are low. -Dave

(snip)

And BTW, no you will NOT necessarily know to the penny how much a
custom built house is "worth" initially. You will only know what it
COST. Customs are often worth LESS than cost initially (especially if
they have odd features intended to minimize tax and maximize
flexibility); one person's dream house is another's nightmare.

-v.


Cool. I'm modding the heck outta it. I'll never sell it, so let it be
a nightmare . . . as long as the taxes are low. -Dave

(snip)

And BTW, no you will NOT necessarily know to the penny how much a
custom built house is "worth" initially. You will only know what it
COST. Customs are often worth LESS than cost initially (especially if
they have odd features intended to minimize tax and maximize
flexibility); one person's dream house is another's nightmare.

-v.


Cool. I'm modding the heck outta it. I'll never sell it, so let it be
a nightmare . . . as long as the taxes are low. -Dave

This may help you a little (though it's a little off topic from what you're
looking for)....but there are other pieces to this. I used the attached
link when buying my house to make sure I didn't get slammed on taxes. NH
has been figuting about property taxes and education funding for years. It
may eventually change but the issue hasn't moved far in the last handful of
years.

Assessed values are typically lower than market value (and market values
have been on the upswing). Also...some towns' assessments may not be based
on 100% of the value sicne they don't reassess each year but they do
typically adjust the multiplier they use (i.e. houses in xtown are
currently assessed at 85% of real value. For the most recent taz rates
look here.

The thing about NH is the tax rates vary widely. For instance in Plymouth
a house with a 100% $100,000 assessment will pay $4,130 a year whereas the
same house / same assessment in Moultonborough would pay $1,211 per
year....mainly due to the variance in the taxable property base as well as
property values.

Hope this contributes to your research.

http://webster.state.nh.us/revenue/m...-rates2002.htm

no1herenow wrote:
Simple. The local assessor will give you the guidelines.
A comment on property taxes in NH; having been a resident of MA and NH
for my entire life, the property cost, on a per-square-foot basis, is
about the same in either MA or NH.... The tax rate is higher in NH,
but the houses are cheaper (somewhat), as the land costs can be
lower... (as an aside 'Live Free or Die' is an incredible fallacy)
Generally, square footage is most of the basis of property tax... as
is # bedrooms and baths...

"Dave C." wrote in message rthlink.net...

OK, getting ready to build soon in NH. Property taxes can be very high in
that state. As I can build just about anything I want, I'm trying to design
a house to minimize property taxes while maximizing flexibility. So I tried
to find the formula used to compute NH property value. All I found was:

http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/V/75/75-1.htm

Which seems to suggest that the tax assessor can just take a wild guess at
the property value. Anyone know if there is a general formula used, such as
(number bedrooms X year built X square footage X number of bathrooms, etc.)

I'll obviously know to the penny how much the property is worth when it's
built, but if the value rises significantly, so could the tax burden. So
I'm trying to find the formula used to determine property value.
Anyone? -Dave

On hotmail dot com, I am user "junknothankyou".