See more about Pawling at: PawlingRealEstate.net
Taxes in any town in the Southeastern NY area are a very hotly contested topic. Let me start by saying that this blog post represents my own, personal opinions.
I'll start by saying that whether you are considering buying a home in Pawling or are a current resident, you should be aware of the following Tax related deadlines:
Property tax calendar
Each year, there are certain dates that property owners should bear in mind. These dates can vary in some counties and municipalities.
You can check the dates for your municipality through our Municipal Profiles webpages:
Select your county - then municipality (or use the search option to find your municipality)Select "Assessment Roll Dates"
Please note: the dates on our website are based on information provided by municipalities. You should contact your assessor to confirm the dates for your municipality. (Assessor contact information is also available from Municipal Profiles.)
There are six primary "action" dates for property owners (source: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/property/learn/proptaxcal.htm)
Taxable Status Date
March 1 in most communities*Due date for exemption applications. On or around this date, assessment impact notices are sent to property owners in municipalities conducting reassessments
Tentative Roll Date
May 1 in most communities*Tentative assessment roll is made available to the publicAssessments are based on their condition and ownership on Taxable Status Date and the value of property on Valuation Date (see below)Within ten days:Assessment rolls must be available from the municipal websiteAssessment increase notices must be sent to affected property ownersYou should check your assessment soon after Tentative Roll Date
School Budget Voting Day
3rd Tuesday in May. All residents are eligible to vote
Grievance Day
4th Tuesday in May in most communities*If you contest your assessment, you must file your grievance application by this date
Final Roll Date
July 1 in most communities*If you grieved your assessment and did not receive the relief you requested, you can apply for judicial review of your assessment within 30 days following Final Roll Date
School property tax bills
Mailed in the beginning of September in most communities*Pay close attention to the deadline for payments - they too can vary from one town to the next Municipal & County property tax billsMailed in the beginning of January in most communities*Payment deadlines vary in some municipalities and counties
Valuation Date
Valuation Date is the date upon which the value of your property is based. In most communities, Valuation Date is July 1 of the prior year.* For instance, assessments on the 2011 assessment roll (typically made public on May 1, 2011) were based on the value of property as of July 1, 2010.
The lag between Tentative Roll Date and Valuation Date enables assessors and taxpayers to use all available sales before AND after the Valuation Date to estimate the value of property.
Next:
APPLY for STAR as soon as possible!
Many Pawling home owners are also entitled to a STAR discount (The STAR program was created to help alleviate some of the school tax burden). If you own your home, it’s your primary residence, and your income is $500,000 or less, you’re eligible for the Basic STAR credit. If you’re a senior citizen with a qualifying income, you may be eligible for the Enhanced STAR credit. For more information, see STAR eligibility.
My thoughts on taxes and If you are considering BUYING a HOME in Pawling
Let me start by saying, I love living in Pawling. This is a community with a vibrant village center, excellent proximity to NYC and a community of caring neighbors. Growing up here was a special experience and has been worth the cost of living here. Like everyone who works hard for their income, I'm just like you in saying that I'd like to pay the least amount of taxes possible. However, as we all know, there are costs for living in a wonderful community like ours. The best way to keep costs down is to get involved in Pawling. Run for a school board seat, serve on the planning board, talk to the Village Mayor or Town Supervisor or attend municipal meetings. Be an active Pawlingite!
With that said, let me jump into the reason for this post. I received an inquiry recently about the average amount of taxes on a single family home in Pawling. In what has become an ever increasing data-driven world, we all want straight-forward facts that help us to make our decisions. However, in this case, I just don't feel that an average amount of taxes tells a potential Pawling buyer the true story and here's why.
Taxes on single family homes in Pawling are based on several factors. In my opinion, the most important of these factors is the assessed value of the home. In other words, how much has the local assessor determined that the property is worth.
In many communities, the majority of homes are valued in a fairly compact range. Pawling is not one of those communities. There is a wide range of home values throughout Pawling. These values go from massive estates which include hundreds of acres and multiple buildings (many found in the Quaker Hill area of Pawling) and can be assessed in the millions of dollars, all the way down to one-bedroom homes on rural roads which can be assessed around $100,000. There are waterfront homes on Whaley Lake and there are tiny summer cottages in Pawling Lake Estates. Taking the average rate of this wide spectrum of different properties would most likely depict a very unrealistic number of what taxes might be like on the exact property that a potential buyer would be interested in.
I find the best way to consider taxes is to start with some basic information. Where in Pawling would you interested in buying a home or property? Would you be looking for a private estate or a single-family home in a development? Do you need to be close to a highway or the train station? Do you have children that you would want to attend Pawling public or Private school? How close to the school would be acceptable? Answers to these, and other questions that I would ask, would help me to accurately determine the best neighborhood/locations for a buyer, and in turn, would help ball-park what potential taxes would end up being.
So, it is my recommendation that potential Pawling buyers work with a local real estate expert (I'd be happy and honored to be selected) to help them target appropriate Pawling homes and areas. After this leg work is done, then it's time for the tax research for a very specific area. However, even in the same area, it is important to keep in mind that assessments are based on many factors such as location, lot size, home amenities, etc., so there can be large fluctuations in tax amounts.
Here's the basic formula to calculate your taxes:
(Property Assessed Value) X (Mill Rate) = (Taxes)
The 2018 Mill Rate for the Town of Pawling (also known as equalization rate) = .49
As you can see, there's a tremendous amount to consider and that's where, I, as an Associate Real Estate Broker, bring substantial value to you in understanding the market and taxes.
Let me know your thoughts on what I've had to say!
Also, below are a few additional resources:
Dutchess County Property Tax Rate Calculation Tool:
This utility will estimate property tax on a residential property. Please note that it is only an estimate. The tax estimation is based on County, Town, Village, and School tax rates. It does not include special district taxes (such as fire districts and libraries) or any personal exemptions.
If you would like to peruse some Town of Pawling Tax information, see below:
Town of Pawling
To view your 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Town and County Property Tax Bill, please click on the below internet link and input the necessary information.