Dear Alec,

Here in Texas, local real estate taxes collected on residential, investment and commercial properties within a geographical location contribute to the quality of life in the individual communities and are used for schools, roads and local government services. Higher tax revenues typically equate to higher quality of services (for example in local schools). There is no state income tax.

There are two factors that establish the actual dollar amount due on a particular property. One is the assessed value which is determined by the central appraisal district. The goal of the district is usually to make an assessment that is close to the market value. The second factor is the tax rate.

Assessed Value ($) x Tax Rate (%) = Taxes due

The tax rate consists of a variety of components.

a) Typically, there will be a county tax (Travis = 0.4216%, Williamson = 0.4591%)

b) The largest tax is the school tax and it varies by school district (Leander ISD1.379%)

If you are in an incorporated area, this is going to be the tax rate that you should expect.

c) If you are within the boundaries of a City, there will be city taxes ( City of Leander 0.607591%)

d) Some counties have additional relatively small taxes for hospitals, drainage improvements or the community college.

e) The final potential component that you will find only in select areas is the Municipal Utility District (or MUD) tax that can be significant.

So, if you move to Leander, the fact that you live in Travis or Williamson county has less of an impact than some of the other factors mentioned above.

When you talk to your Realtor, she or he can give you the exact information on the tax rate and last years tax bill for any given property. This is one more reason that it is wise to select a local buyers agent who will be an asset to you in your home search.

Best of luck and welcome to Texas.

Sincerely,
Richard Olesch

Dear Alec,
If the location is not such a big factor, come to Shady Hollow in Travis county. We are just one mile outside the City of Austin and only 15 minutes south of downtown and we don't pay City taxes. So our tax rate is only 1.89%. You can't beat that rate anywhere in Williamson or Travis county.

Shady Hollow is just south of the intersection of Brodie Lane and Slaughter. We are very close to Circle C and have some of the same amenities: tennis courts, swimming pool and community center, close to shopping.

I not only sell Shady Hollow, but I have lived here for 8 years and I love it. Oh yes, your resale will be very good and usually speedy. My recent listing in Shady Hollow went pending in under a week! Call or email me if you are interested.
Sincerely,
Betina

Alec:

I'm an agent in Leander. I live and work here. Where are you going to be working? As another escapee from the midwest I would love to help you explore your options here in Texas. If you are interested, please give me a call.

Carol Ann Pease, ABR, CRB, CRS, e-PRO, GRI
512-721-6236

Dear Alec,
I would say that would depend on where you will be working. With gas over $4. per gallon, your commute may be a deciding factor. Your taxes will be slightly less in Williamson, but you will definately spend more on fuel getting around.

Another thing to consider is schools. Even if you don't have children, you should think about it because it can affect your resale value. You can check out the various Texas school districts at http://www.SchoolMatters.com.

I can set up a search for homes in your preferred neighborhoods and price range and email them to you each week, or monthly if you prefer. Please call me if I may be of assistance with your home search.

Sincerely,
Betina
512-771-6318

Depends on what school district you want to live in and even how far your drive with be. Are you looking at new or resale? What other areas are you interested in? Let me know.
Jeff
jkagent@gmail.com

There can be a big difference based on the school district and even more significant if the property is in a "MUD" (Municipal Utility District). You can locate tax rates for Travis county here http://www.traviscad.org/2007_Tax_Rates.pdf and Wm county here http://www.wcad.org/Appraisal/PublicAccess/Forms/taxrates.pdf.

Without knowing your price range, this is tough to answer. I looked at some recent resales in both counties priced between $190,000 and $200,000. Typical rates for Williamson were 2.54% and 2.91%
which is primarily what school district is used. The few I found for Travis had 2.79% and 3.29%, so based on this, I'd say Travis will likely be somewhat higher.

If you can specify your price range and just a couple of subdivisions, I can get more specific. Contact me if you are interested.