Insurance
We thought it might be helpful for you to know a little bit about real estate insurance in Murphy, NC. Insurance is something most everyone has to deal with and plan for no matter where you live, and we commonly hear of insurance rates in the thousands of dollars in other places around the U.S. – and thankfully my bill is not like that!
When you buy a home, did you know the rate is very commonly around a mere $600-$900 for a year?! You can’t beat that for coverage. Of course that can change depending on the size, type, and other factors of your home, but as a general rule, that’s a great place to benchmark yourself for planning purposes. I only pay $650 per year for my home! 😀
Did you know that if you buy a piece of land, you most likely don’t need to insure it at all? You probably should double check with your insurance agent to make sure of this on your policy, but your current homeowner’s policy covers any liability you might have with vacant land. That means you’ve got no additional cost there!
If you’re looking to buy a home, you may or may not be considering renting it out. If that’s the case and you would like to rent it out as a full time rental or vacation rental, be sure your insurance is right. Some of our local insurance agents can find and rental rider that’s included at no charge or very inexpensively!
Taxes
When it comes to land, it’s an extremely affordable tax bill. The tax bill is commonly around $50-$150 for an average 1-2 acre parcel and can be higher for a more expensive or desirable parcel. Large tracts vary and its best to research them on a per parcel basis.
In regards to homes, a cabin or chalet yearly tax bill is around $700-$900. A nice home assessed at $300,000 is right around $1,350, so it’s not too bad! 🙂
Tax Rate – The current tax rate is $0.385 per $100 of assessed value. Assessed value is currently higher than market value on most homes by 20-30%.
We’re really blessed with fair taxes that aren’t outrageous compared to so many other areas in the country!
New Update for August 2013: 3 Great Reasons to Retire and Live in North Carolina
FAQ’s
Will my tax bill change when I purchase a property in Cherokee County? No, generally not. Taxes here are based on “bulk appraisals” that are assigned roughly every 4 years. Your purchase will have a small bearing as to a future assessment but won’t directly change your tax assessment.
Is there a homestead exemption? No. Cherokee County assesses equally amongst everyone generally keeping all taxes lower.
Why are taxes lower in Murphy NC/Cherokee County than where I live? Although I can’t directly answer that, I do find that most people I’ve spoken with that have higher taxes often live in cities or close to them that have more “infrastructure” and “programs.” Things like garbage pickup all the way to big public works projects that cost money to operate and can attribute to higher taxes.
Is there a separate school tax? No, there is not.
Who do you recommend for insurance coverage? Easy! Check out our Gotta Guy List for great insurance agents you can work with here locally.
John Poltrock – The Poltrock Team at REMAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-687-7496