A Look at 2011 Updated Property Taxes for Sevier County’s Smoky Mountain Real Estate

 

I receive many questions regarding what our property taxes are here. So this week’s blog looks at Sevier County property taxes on mountain homes.  The property tax rate is per $100 assessed value of the home. County tax for Sevier County is $1.63 per $100 assessed value. City tax per $100 assessed value is:   Sevierville is $0.31. Pigeon Forge is $0.200, Gatlinburg is $0.1493, and Pittman Center is .85.  The ratio of assessment is 25% for residential/rental property. This applies to owner occupied homes and second homes.  See the examples below for a home assessed at $100,000 and $250,000.

                                           For Sevier County Tax
Sevier County tax is $1.63 per $100 assessed value:
$100,000 Home     25% of $100,000 = $25,000 x $1.63 = $407.50 tax paid per year
$250,000 Home     25% of $250,000 = $62,500 x $1.63 = $1018.75 tax paid per year

                                                       For City Tax
Sevierville is $.31 per $100 assessed value:
$100,000 Home     25% of $100,000 = $25,000 x $.31 = $77.50 tax paid per year
$250,000 Home     25% of $250,000 = $62,500 x $.31 = $193.75 tax paid per year

Pigeon Forge is $0.200 per $100 assessed value:
$100,000 Home     25% of $100,000 = $25,000 x $0.200 = $50.00 tax paid per year
$250,000 Home     25% of $250,000 = $62,500 x $0.200 = $125.00 tax paid per year

Gatlinburg is $0.1493 per $100 assessed value:
$100,000 Home     25% of $100,000 = $25,000 x $0.1493 = $37.33 tax paid per year
$250,000 Home     25% of $250,000 = $62,500 x $0.1493 = $93.31 tax paid per year

Pittman Center is $.85 per $100 assessed value:
$100,000 Home     25% of $100,000 = $25,000 x $.85 = $212.50 tax paid per year
$250,000 Home     25% of $250,000 = $62,500 x $.85 = $531.25 tax paid per year

Plus 30% of contents for personal property tax
There is no Income Tax
 
Many visitors to our area find our property taxes very reasonable.  The planning and working with tourist traffic over the years has helped to develop the Sevier County infrastructure.  The influx of visitors provided a revenue stream that has assisted in sharing the costs for developing the area.  This has helped to keep costs lower for residents by maintaining reasonable local living taxes.

If you are interested in living here, or owning investment property that keeps you coming back with tax incentives, then check out the Jason White Team website.  You set your own search criteria, and view only those properties that fit your criteria. When it is time to take a personal look, our team of property professionals are here to assist you.  Contact us today to begin your Smoky Mountain property acquisition.

Here are a Few of My New and Reduced Listings: 

Resort Living At It’s Best!!
Want the best close to town of Gatlinburg for shopping and dining? This resort offers a community pool for your enjoyment as well as utility water and sewer, garbage service and high speed internet.
Type: Land
Location: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Price: $42,000
Get more information >
Build Your Dream Home/Black Bear Falls
Great building site in desirable Black Bear Falls in Gatlinburg. On site pool and easy access to all the attractions Gatlinburg has to offer.
Type: Land
Location: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Price: $51,000
Get more information >
Fully Furnished Cedar and Stone Mtn Home
Contemporary cedar and stone mountain home sold fully furnished and close to the owner’s club w/ pools and tennis courts. Two private master suites each w/baths and balconies. Enjoy the cathedral ceilings, screened patio, sauna, and enclosed hot tub room.
Type: Single Family Home
Location: Chalet Village
Price: $199,900
Get more information >
Just Reduced! An Architectural Icon!
This commanding architectural icon is an award winning design. Fantastic floor plan, quality contruction, outrageous mountain views from all rooms, gas generator, lots or level parking and 5 master suites all with their own screened in porch. Must see!
Type: Single Family Home
Location: Chalet Village
Price: $899,900
Get more information >

U.S. Home Sales in February Show Mixed Results

In an earlier blog, I mentioned how late winter and early spring home sales are driven as much by weather as they are by economic conditions.  This theme is repeated as we examine final tallies in February Existing-Home Sales.   My source for this material comes out of the National Association of Realtors, in Washington, D.C.  The March 23rd news flash reports that overall existing-home sales declined slightly in February 2010.  The only regions of small gains were in the Northeast and Midwest.  Existing-home sales include; single family homes, townhouses, co-ops, and condominiums.  February’s figures slipped less than 1% off January’s 5.05 million figure.  The good news is that February 2010 is 7.0% higher than February 2009.  Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, feels that winter storms were the contributing factor for the lower sales.  People are unable to view property and close deals when forces of nature make travel, next to impossible.  Yun feels the market is currently still in recovery and could be fragile.  The chief economist expects that a wave of buyers will jump into the market to beat the April 30th deadline for the homebuyer tax credit.  This activity should drop home inventory levels enough, to stabilize home prices.

The article went on to review other data, but there was also good advice from Vicki Cox Golder, NAR President that could apply to some of my blog readers.  NAR’s President stressed that the April 30th, 2010 deadline is rapidly approaching for the end of tax credit.  With up to $8,000 at stake for qualifying buyers, there is no time to waste.  For most home buyers, the process from looking at homes to inking their signature on a contract takes several months.  This process can naturally be reduced in time duration if various pre-work is out of the way.  First, determine your maximum price limits.  Meet with your financial people and become pre-approved if a mortgage is needed.  Second, determine what type of property you need and what will best serve you some years from now.   Third, determine where in an area you need to be.  Do you require being close to a city’s ammenities or do you prefer to be out in nature away from it all?  Taking the time to sort out these details and requirements saves tons of time for you, and people you rely upon in your property acquisition process. 

Here, at the Jason White Team, we gear our website to assist you in this property decision process.  We make the East Tennessee real estate market only a series of keystrokes away.  We also simplify the refinement process by allowing you to set up a filter of your own parameters.  This only lets in properties that meet your specifications.  Contact us online or by phone (877) 678-2121 to get things started today!

Here are a Few of My Lastest Listings:

Take tram to Gatlinburg from this home!
Walk to Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort or Community Pool. Updated, private and mountain views! Great investment property or personal home!
Type: Single Family Home
Location: Gatlinburg ,Tennessee
Price: $159,900
Get more information >
Upscale Neighborhood-Authentic Log Cabin
This authentic log home is located in an upscale neighborhood and is in excellent condition. Bedroom/Bath on each floor for privacy as well as a large gameroom for your enjoyment.
Type: Single Family Home
Location: Gatlinburg ,Tennessee
Price: $249,900
Get more information >
Fantastic Home on Private 4.72 Acres
Amazing home with fantastic floor plan and incredible quality. Office, mud room, bonus room that could be in-law quarters with lots of storage and full bath, playroom, theater room, 3 car heated garage, and lots of composite decking to enjoy the 4.72 acre
Type: Single Family Home
Location: Gatlinburg ,Tennessee
Price: $699,900
Get more information >

Call us today to view any of these homes! 877-678-2121  Ask for Jason White or Stephanie Huskey!

The Home Buyer Tax Credit Extension is Great News for Smoky Mountain Real Estate

first-time home buyerThe U.S. Congressional extension of the home buyer tax credit into 2010 is sure to help home owners with homes in Gatlinburg for sale and across the nation. The stimulus of bringing new home buyers into the market was significant enough over the past months, that congress decided to continue the program. In the news flashes out of the National Association of Realtors, I have been following developments on this story for some time. NAR President, Charles McMillian and many of the key NAR economists have felt that the stimulus from the homebuyer tax credit is crucial to getting the U.S. housing industry back on track. Some sources feel the current tax credit has put $22 billion into the U.S. economy and they estimate some 2 million individuals will utilize the tax credit this year. Many NAR members felt that extending the home buyer tax credit would bring in more home buyers that currently are waiting for the right opportunity to buy. This influx of homebuyers would help to reduce high inventory levels of homes and it could “prime the pump” for home buying in other real estate sectors.

 

Let us look into the details of the tax credit extension as it stands currently. Those who qualify are first-time home buyers purchasing November 7, 2009 to April 30, 2010. Current home owners buying a home 11/7/09 thru 4/30/10 who have used the home being sold or vacated as a principal residence for 5 consecutive years within the last 8 years. Qualifying “first-time home buyers” is a purchaser or their spouse who has not owned a residence in the 3 years before a home purchase. The following types of properties are eligible for the extended Home Buyer Tax Credit. These properties include; single-family homes, condos, town homes, and co-ops. Maximum allowable credit on first-time home buyers is $8,000 and the maximum allowable credit for current homeowners is $6,500. An $800,000 home is the maximum priced home available for the extended tax credit. The amount of tax credit available to a home buyer is based on the price of the home and the buyer’s income. Tax credit limits on a buyer’s income are as follows:

 

Single Buyer Income to $125,000- Full credit

Single Buyer Income 125,000-145,000- Tax credit decreases

Married Buyers Joint Income to $225,000- Full credit

Married Buyers Joint Income 225,000-245,000- Tax credit decreases

 

The extended home buyer tax credit should be approached like many other aspects of one’s financial and legal affairs. You need sound, reliable advice from professionals with updated schooling on these matters. Their expertise can help you maximize beneficial items and avoid detrimental unseen consequences on various courses of action. The same advice applies to buying Smoky Mountain Real Estate or Homes in Gatlinburg and other locations in the Smokies. Working with professionals like the Jason White Team can save you valuable time and help you to find your perfect piece of real estate. We know real estate in East Tennessee and we know the area inside and out. Contact us today to let us help you find your property in The Great Smoky Mountains. Click here to view my featured listings.  

 

                       Here are a Couple of My Latest Listings

Custom Built Log Home in Norton Creek
This property is located in the Mountain Community of Norton Creek, nestled among 13+ acres of green space. Layout of custom built log home ideal for retirement living.
Type: Single Family Home
Location: Gatlinburg ,Tennessee
Price: $399,000
Get more information >
Beautiful Log Home!!
Hand hewn log home with open floor plan. Mtn stone fireplace and vaulted ceilings Walking distance to many conveniences.
Type: Single Family Home
Location: Gatlinburg ,Tennessee
Price: $199,900
Get more information >

Learn How To Figure Out Exactly How Much Mortgage You Can Afford

Pink calculator close-upIf you are a first-time home buyer, before you even look at houses for sale, the most important thing you can do is figure out exactly how much you can afford on a mortgage payment per month. This will save you wasted time and the disappointment of looking at houses that you may later learn that you simply cannot afford. You first must figure out your debt-to-income ratio. Lenders prefer that you use 36% and under, but you might want to consider using 28% of your gross monthly income for housing expense. Following are the steps to figure out the math:

  1. Figure out all of your debt. Multiply your gross monthly income by .36 to find your total allowable monthly debt.
  2. Add up all of your fixed monthly expenses.
  3. Subtract your fixed monthly expenses from your total allowable monthly debt.

This number is the amount that you have for your mortgage payment, your home owner’s insurance and your property taxes.

For more help figuring out your total allowable monthly debt see a home affordability calculator or call your local real estate agent Jason White.

Act Soon For First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit-Offer Ends 12/01/2009

  • American flagwater ripple and water drop falling in the middleIf you decide to purchase a home by December 1, 2009, you will be entitled to an $8,000 tax credit. This amendment to the economic stimulus bill will be available to you if you purchase your first home between 1/1/2009 and 12/1/2009. Home buyers will be entitled to claim a total tax credit of $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is less.  To avoid possible abuse of this credit, it is only allowed for your primary residence and will only have to be re-paid if said house is sold within two years of purchase. Keep in mind that you must close on or before December 1, 2009 to be eligible for the credit. Most closings take about sixty days, so with that in mind you must go under contract by October 2nd, 2009 – this gives you seventy-three days from today to find your first home. If you manage to meet these deadlines, all you have to do to claim your credit is fill out I.R.S. Form 5405.
  • For more information about this credit go to the IRS website or contact The Jason White Team.