Tax time is here again, and for those who purchased in 2010, this is your opportunity to appeal.  Your appeal must be filed by the end of 2011.  The good news is that even if you purchased in 2008 or 2009 you can still appeal.  Like the 2010 purchaser, the 2008 and 2009 appeals may only appeal with transfers that occur in the year of purchase and no transactions after the year of purchase may be used as a basis.  Unfortunately, if the property was acquired before January of 2008 the chance of a successful appeal is minimized.  Realtors ® did make some positive strides in 2011 to change the 2006 Point of Sale tax code but the change only benefits 2011 purchases and only those assessed at the 6% rate or commercial properties. In a nutshell, if the property had been acquired after 2002, the chance of benefiting by this law is minimized because the purchase price less 25% cannot be below the property’s Fair Market Value of record. Read the rest of this entry

If you have purchased a second home, lot or rental property in the Hilton Head Area (or are thinking about it), you are in for a break.  Governor Nikki Haley signed in a bill this week that will encourage investors back into the Hilton Head Island Real Estate Market. This bill will give home site owners and second home owners the opportunity to pay 25 percent less in property taxes or the fair market value in taxes on the property, instead of paying taxes on the sale price of the property. Read the rest of this entry