jc201jc wrote:
somehow there seems to be a difference between using a helicopter for a medical emergency and using a helicopter to attend a baseball game. i can't quite put my finger on the difference though.

Dolomiti wrote:
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jctexan wrote:
As for appealing, my understanding is that one can not use someone underpaying as the basis for a reduction, so what would the argument be for their appeal? Please don?t knee jerk respond. Really think it through with numbers.

This is my understanding. Hopefully, I won't get anything wildly wrong. ;)

Appeals are based on the claim that the city's assessment is too high. You have to prove them wrong, usually by providing 3-5 recent comparable sales. Alternately you can provide an appraisal, but in that case the appraiser must be available to testify. You only get an adjustment if the city's assessment is off by more than 15%.

My impression is that usually, if you're out of that 15% range, you'll get something. You can file yourself, it isn't terribly expensive or time-consuming. I have no idea if using an attorney increases your chances of success, or what happens if you appeal year after year.

You can't refer to the taxes other people are paying as part of the appeal process. All they care about are comps and/or an appraisal.

So: Let's say you bought your home in 2000, and your old tax bill was $10k. The city assesses your property in 2017 at $2,000,000 which means your new tax bill is around $32k. Ouch.

In order to successfully appeal, you must believe that either the city's 2017 assessment had to be off by more than 15%, or the value of your property immediately dropped more than 15%, or some combo thereof. Then, you have to be able to prove it with comparable sales.

Let's say that by fall 2018, the market crashes by 25%. You pull together comps that show the value at $1,500,000 and you get a full adjustment. Your new tax bill is $24k.

Is that numbery enough for you? ;)

But in "Jersey City: Growing, With Many Personalities," the New York Times doesn't manage the least bit of ink for the struggles of longtime citizens, so divided by Montgomery Street from the newly affluent and prosperous Jersey City, in the crime-riddled black and Latino neighborhoods.

andrewjake wrote:
A lot of these links that have been provided are for the larger houses on the east (?) side of the street. The opposite side has what look like smaller homes, still brick and very nice looking.

Have any of those been restored?

Super dangerous. I saw a pack of wolves steal all the strollers outside the Coptic church the other day. There's also crowds of violent craft beer hooligans hanging out at McGinley Pub every day, stabbing anyone they see with a Budweiser. They have a big rivalry with the Yuengling gangs that hang out at Park Tavern.

bodhipooh wrote:
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SRhia wrote:
How much do you guys think the renovated buildings would be on the market for (the ones on Astor Pl)?

I don't think anyone can answer THAT, but if you look at the 13 Astor Pl data in Trulia, it went from 140K in 12/2013 to 550K in 2/2015. That's quite impressive. Which is also why I wanted to get a look at what they did with the place. As it looked back in 2013, it was a total mess. A dump, really.

BergenHill wrote:
Rumor has it that 9 Astor Place sold for $475K.

http://www.trulia.com/property/320455 ... r-Pl-Jersey-City-NJ-07304

jcchick1 wrote:
Thanks, that's good to hear. We don't have a car and so have to get everywhere by foot. Hoping that at least a coffee shop or small grocery shop pops up one of these days.