The “new” luxury property tax

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  • #167906
    Andrew
    Keymaster

    [quote=”costaricabill”]I entered all the information exactly as 3 years ago (except that the house is 3 years older and I “got the benefit” of 3 additional years depreciation!) and the tax went from $915 to $1,405, more than 50% increase!
    [/quote]

    Just as a matter of interest, how much would you pay in property taxes on a similar ocean view luxury home in the U.S.? Do you know?

    #167907
    maravilla
    Member

    if that’s what your lawyer told you, then no, you did not have a good lawyer — it only makes sense that if both houses are in the same corp, that the luxury tax applies to both those houses together. the tax is due tomorrow or there is a $180 fine for not paying according to one of the dailies.

    #167908
    costaricabill
    Participant

    [quote=”Scott”][quote=”costaricabill”]I entered all the information exactly as 3 years ago (except that the house is 3 years older and I “got the benefit” of 3 additional years depreciation!) and the tax went from $915 to $1,405, more than 50% increase!
    [/quote]

    Just as a matter of interest, how much would you pay in property taxes on a similar ocean view luxury home in the U.S.? Do you know?[/quote]

    Hi Scott – I can’t answer the precise question you asked, but I can tell you that before moving to Samara we had a nice home on the waterfront of Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida. We had lived there for over 15 years, and we were “grandfathered in” on the local real estate tax so it could not increase more than 3% per year as long as we owned the home. Our tax was about $4,600USD per year when we sold – BUT (and here is the kicker) the real estate tax for the buyer of our home, not being grandfathered, immediately increased to over $24,000USD per year.

    Our home here is much newer (we finished it in 2008, versus 1948 for the Tampa home), a bit smaller in size, with a much better view (my “profile picture” is from our back porch). There aren’t many homes in Florida that sit on the side of a mountain and overlook the ocean, so probably something in California would be more germaine to your question.

    #167909
    davidd
    Member

    [quote=”costaricabill”][quote=”Scott”][quote=”costaricabill”]I entered all the information exactly as 3 years ago (except that the house is 3 years older and I “got the benefit” of 3 additional years depreciation!) and the tax went from $915 to $1,405, more than 50% increase!
    [/quote]

    Just as a matter of interest, how much would you pay in property taxes on a similar ocean view luxury home in the U.S.? Do you know?[/quote]

    Hi Scott – I can’t answer the precise question you asked, but I can tell you that before moving to Samara we had a nice home on the waterfront of Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida. We had lived there for over 15 years, and we were “grandfathered in” on the local real estate tax so it could not increase more than 3% per year as long as we owned the home. Our tax was about $4,600USD per year when we sold – BUT (and here is the kicker) the real estate tax for the buyer of our home, not being grandfathered, immediately increased to over $24,000USD per year.

    Our home here is much newer (we finished it in 2008, versus 1948 for the Tampa home), a bit smaller in size, with a much better view (my “profile picture” is from our back porch). There aren’t many homes in Florida that sit on the side of a mountain and overlook the ocean, so probably something in California would be more germaine to your question.[/quote]

    I think Scott may have alluded to the fact that its still a heck of alot cheaper than the U.S.

    I wonder if there are any studies done just these past 3 years with all the changes and price increases in all areas

    what %% of increase is it revealing.

    think about

    luxury tax
    corporation tax
    higher valuation taxes on properties
    water prices increasing
    electric prices
    cable
    marchamo
    insurance
    transit taxes- increase in ticket prices for infractions
    caja increase
    etc

    [b]I would love to see a condensed spreadsheet of just the past 3 years compared to all the years before[/b]

    heck there is even a new tax to fund the elimination of sportshunting that will be in the marchamo

    what else????

    curious to see some observations in the field regarding correlating improvments in areas

    I see things the same way as before. the roads suck LOL

    still using baily temp bridges :D:D

    if there were vast improvments in many areas than I can say

    look ma.. better infrastructure 😀

    maybe its getting better in other areas besides where I live and work

    I should have mentioned I do some improvment BUT these are more in the private sector.

    comparable malls are sprouting up, pricesmart will be opening more locations, more walmarts

    😯

    #167910
    johnr
    Member

    [quote=”costaricabill”]Finally got into the system after loading and uninstalling it several times.

    I entered all the information exactly as 3 years ago (except that the house is 3 years older and I “got the benefit” of 3 additional years depreciation!) and the tax went from $915 to $1,405, more than 50% increase!

    That’s the penalty for being honest and paying in the tax in the first place!!!

    As Sailor correctly pointed out, you now pay tax 3 times if the property qualifies for the “Luxury Tax” and still twice if it doesn’t!

    Ecuador is looking better all of the time![/quote]

    I hear ya Bill! For some odd reason we got moved from an 07 classification to an 09 classification even though the house doesn’t have many of the “items” listed in 09.

    And I agree – the reader with two houses on one deed got very poor advice.

    #167911
    costaricabill
    Participant

    [quote=”johnr”]
    I hear ya Bill! For some odd reason we got moved from an 07 classification to an 09 classification even though the house doesn’t have many of the “items” listed in 09.

    And I agree – the reader with two houses on one deed got very poor advice.
    [/quote]

    John – who “moved” you? It is a “self appraisal” and the owner, or the representative for the owner, determines the classification, does the measurements, details the items. etc.

    #167912
    maravilla
    Member

    suddenly, even i am feeling the hit of the increases — my property tax went from $79 to $265, the corp tax, and increases in electric rates (amortized over the entire year), plus marchamo (which i didn’t have until this year), and the increase in CAJA have added another $75.00 a month to my living expenses. i used to keep a spread sheet for a whole year to see what i spent and at that time (2010) i was spending $800 or less a month for everything. now, i am hovering just under $1000. i still can’t complain too bitterly though because all of my fixed expenses here are still less than my electric bill in colorado!!!

    #167913
    maravilla
    Member

    i just saw that the penalty for not paying the luxury tax on time is $386. Whoaaaaa.

    #167914
    johnr
    Member

    [quote=”costaricabill”][quote=”johnr”]
    I hear ya Bill! For some odd reason we got moved from an 07 classification to an 09 classification even though the house doesn’t have many of the “items” listed in 09.

    And I agree – the reader with two houses on one deed got very poor advice.
    [/quote]

    John – who “moved” you? It is a “self appraisal” and the owner, or the representative for the owner, determines the classification, does the measurements, details the items. etc.[/quote]

    Our lawyer in Liberia hired an independent appraiser who worked with the municipality – so I’m assuming that the muni moved us and the appraiser went along with the assessment. I am waiting for more information (to see just what was actually determined in this particular evaluation).

    Our legal team was a little astounded to say the least.

    #167915
    johnr
    Member

    [quote=”maravilla”]i just saw that the penalty for not paying the luxury tax on time is $386. Whoaaaaa.[/quote]

    I thought it was $305 but I could be wrong. I also have heard that if you filed on time but did not pay the late fee can be waived and only a small interest amount is added, however I have not heard what that is. (This information from our lawyer).

    He put this out there because I had asked that since the tables were published 10 days late if there were a 10 day grace period – he said no but that this “interest” based late fee was in place instead. Don’t know if it’s true or not.

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