Ohio taxes- what is going on?

Question

I was looking at this duplex, and taxes were 3k in 2016 but 7.5K in 2017...

Why do taxes in Ohio jump like that?

I am in Arizona, and taxes here increase may be 5-10% every year but never double like that.

How to prevent if I buy a duplex or a house , how to prevent taxes from jumping like that?

Alan Fitzpatrick · Answer

It depends on the location quite a bit, Toledo is absolutely insane with taxes and can vary greatly, typically the newer the property the higher. Higher prices also typically have higher tax rates.

The assessed value in Toledo is a very strange system as well, a house worth 50k may assess at 12k, but that's intentional.

As for a large tax hike, I'd check the actual county records if possible, some of the data available online is wrong.

Mary Jay · Answer

Thank you guys so,so,so much !

I really appreciate all your help!

Steve K. · Answer

Sorry I just reread your comment and realized you don't yet own the duplex, my previous advice would be for properties you own!

Steve K. · Answer

If you disagree with the assessment you can always appeal. Check the data on the tax bill and make sure it is accurate, pull comps to see if the valuation is fair, and if you think a challenge has merit go ahead and call your assessor's office and appeal. Lots of investors have had success challenging tax assessments. Just keep in mind that the tax assessment could also go up, and if you're planning to sell any time soon, then a lower assessed value could hurt the sale price.

John Koster · Answer

Cleveland taxes are generally 2.7 - 4.3% of the retail value and vary greatly between suburbs.  clevelandhousehunt.com has a list of all the tax rates in the area.

Mary Jay · Answer

The funny thing is there was a tax  increase on the house that the person owned for 20 years and was living there and used it as a primary residence. How is it possible to double taxes in the one year? That’s crazy.

so is there anyway to predict what would be the taxes? In California and Arizona it’s very predictable it’s one percent of the purchase price. How do you calculate taxes in Ohio? Is there some sort of rule of thumb?