From: speednxsticket@earthlink.net (Speednxs)
Newsgroups: misc.invest.real-estate
Subject: Re: CA Property Tax Question (Part 1)
Date: 13 Nov 2004 15:28:01 -0800

carol.cope@verizon.net (Carol Copeland) wrote in message news:<30de0360.0411121445.5efdfb64@posting.google.com>...
> Hello, I plan to post a short series of questions to this
> group re:CA property taxes.  Thanks in advance for any
> information you can share.
>  
> The first question is very basic, but may not be so simple
> to answer. What I want to know is how my property taxes are
> calculated.  I'm thinking about adding on to my house and I
> would like to be able to predict in advance what the
> property taxes will be.
>  
> I understand that some history of the house is necessary in
> order for Prop13 basis to be taken into account, so here's
> an example:
>  
> 1200 sq ft house, 7500 sq ft lot apprx.  Purchase price
> $225K, purchase date 1989.  Current estimate value $650K,
> taxes apprx. $3800/yr.
>  
> I am considering adding 600 sq ft room next spring and would
> like to be able to predict what my new property taxes would
> be for this specific example.
There are probably some small variations depending on county.  I just
got this nifty pamphlet from Gregory J. Smith Assessor/Recorder/Clerk
County of San Diego.  "..property assessments cannot be increased by
more than 2% annually" so that would be about 35% in your case, since
1989.  "The property tax rate is 1% plus any bonds or special fees." 
In my case this comes out to about 1.1% - 1.2% for bonds, sewer, etc..
 "In appraising new construction, the market value of the addition is
determined and added to the value of the existing propety.  The
existing property, however, is NOT reappraised."  Afraid if you call
the assessor's office, your call will be traced and John Ashcroft will
be listening in wearing head phones and Janet Reno's old dress?  Me
too, but thankfully, not for much longer.