Texas Butch, I see where you signed in, but I don't see a reply......oops!

I'll try this again.  Property taxes can be high if you can't get an Ag Exemption.    Where I currently live on 12 acres with no exemption, I pay almost $5,500 per year on a property appraisal of about $250K.  I also own 22.5 acres (raw land- appraisal of $70K) that is Ag exempt and pay just $61 per year.   Only other taxes I pay are $50 - $80  for each vehicle each year.  You also have to pay about $40 for an inspection fee each year per vehicle.  I have a permanent tag on my LQ trailer that I bought in Oklahoma so pay no fee for it.  My new BP trailer is around $30 (value of $12K).  Keep in mind that one thing that Texas doesn't have that some states do is a state income tax. 

Hope this helps.

Thanks. The property tax on this property is $2955, with an assessed value of 400,000, with an ag exempt.  Why do they inspect vehicles yearly? Never heard of that one  Are you familiar with Lake Ray Roberts?  What about tornados and mosquitoes? Thanks again. Are you taxed on personal property? someone suggested that.

Property taxes will vary widely depending on where you are.  When we were shopping around for a few acres for horses (less than $200k), we found taxes anywhere from $600/year to $5,000/year depending on the county. 

I'm not familiar with the ag exemption and what needs to be done to maintain that status, but it may be something you want to check into.

I found yearly automobile taxes to be wonderful having moved here from South Carolina.  There you could easily pay $600-$1000+ per year in taxes and I just paid my taxes in Texas..... $64.

There is a 8.25% sales tax where I am, but I think it's great that the state has no income taxes.  That was a bonus for us when we moved.

Also coming from a VERY humid southeastern state that had TONS of mosquitoes, I have found Texas to be very mild.  We had a bad month or two of mosquitoes this year because of all of the rain.... but in general I would say it's not bad at all.  Then again it depends on what you're used to?  The mosquitoes can get pretty bad in those South Carolina swamps!

As for tornadoes.... I hate 'em!  And yes, we do have them here more than some other places.  But I've lived here 4 years and it hasn't been an issue for me.  I just keep an eye on the weather channel & news when we have bad storms.  We had hurricanes on the east coast & I can't really say if I prefer one or the other.... in the end it seems every state has something!

I've never been to Lake Ray Roberts, but I have heard a lot of good things about it, as well as that area up there.  In fact I wouldn't mind moving that way myself one day (right now I'm south of Fort Worth).

Sorry, guess I did not answer all your original questions. 

Annual inspections are a state law - helps to keep unsafe vehicles off the road such as no headlights, blinkers, brakes and polluted mufflers. 

Lake Ray Roberts is a really nice area.  Lots of high scale horse ranches in that area (Pilot Pont, Aubrey, Celina).  There are also some nice horse trails at Lake Ray Roberts plus LBJ Grasslands is not very far from there.

Mosquitos can be bad depending on the rainfall in the Spring/Summer.  This last year was the worse we had had in several years due to all the rain we recieved.  Just need to use a little OFF and that will usually keep them off you.  I usually only noticed them late in the day - after 7.   If it's fairly dry and it usually is during the Summer, then I hardly ever notice any mosquitos.  I would think they would be just as bad or worse in Oregon with all the rainfall there.

Not sure what to say about tornados except they do occur from time to time and you just never know when/where.  Maybe someone else can give you some stats about how numerous they are in North Texas compared to other areas of the country.  Seems like they have more in Oklahoma than here.   However, I would not let something like that affect your decision because the chance of a tornado hitting your place is still very small.

We do have mosquitos but not as bad as other states.

We do have tornadoes, more than other states.  Along with hail and damaging wind.

We *might* have a day or two of ice but we also have a few months of 100*+

As far as taxes go, I've lived here all my adult life so I can't really compare it to other states.

I LOVE it here.  Come on down!

Don't sweat the property tax, it's minimal compared to most states. I live in Kansas now and $1,000.00 or more per year on our trucks and trailers in taxes. I want to move back south but my wife says it gets too hot there. I'll get her converted yet!

Before we left  S.Tx last year we paid $65 for the truck, $50 for the car, $6 (yes six) on the horse trailer and $130 on our camper for tags.  Inspections were $30 a year for the car/truck.

We had 10 acres (appraised at $88,000) and paid $431 a year for the house and 1/2 and acre and $10 for the other 9 1/2 acres with the ag discount.  Of course the county we were in had VERY inexpensive land.  Up north it's not so cheap.

Property taxes vary depending on the county. You may want to find out what county it is in and do some sort of google search to see what you can find. Some counties' tax info is available online.

Tornadoes - also depend on the area. I don't think they are as common as many people make them out to be. Thunderstorms with damaging winds are usually more common and still not a terrible problem unless you live in a cardboard box. LOL!!

Truck tags run around $90ish on my non-farm registered 2006 2500 Dodge Ram and I think $40ish for hubby's farm registered 1995 Chevy 2500. My horse trailer tags are MAYBE $10 (plain 4H steel trailer, no LQ). I'm not sure if the cost varies dependant on the trailer. Also not sure about flatbeds.

No taxes on the horses (at least not that I am aware of) and depending on your purpose, you can also get your horse supplies tax free, feed IS tax free. As for sales tax...you get used to it. It's really only on things considered non-essential (clothes, misc. stuff, electronics, etc). Food is tax free - except when dining out.

You DEFINITELY want to get your land ag exempt (I think you can do all except one acre where your house is...and I think there's something about "homesteading" that which reduces the cost).

We live about 20 minutes from Tioga.  We have friends who live near there -- in Pilot Point, Whitesboro, and Collinsville.

It's God's Horse Country with a host of gorgeous horse farms, breeding, performance, training, whatever you need, whatever discipline.  We are open to Olympics medalists, too.  You will have access to Big Mineral (Lake Texoma) for challenging/technical trails, several really nice state parks in southern Oklahoma, Lake Ray Roberts Greenbelt (when it reopens--closed currently due to erosion from the spring 07 rains), over 20,000 acres and fabulous trails at the LBJ National Grasslands, and a nice trail just north of Dallas.  Draw a circle around Tioga and within one hour you've got some nice choices for riding.

Tioga is easy driving distance to Dallas or Fort Worth -- we know several folks who commute from there.

As well, you will have access to great equine stores (feed, tack, etc.) -- say goodbye to online ordering.  And lots of equine professionals to care for your horses -- including trimmers,farriers, massage therapists, and chiropractors. 

Weather?  Well, it was 70 degrees yesterday and I rode 25 miles at the Grasslands.  Of course, there have been some January 6ths where we had ice!  It's Texas -- and so our winters can be mild with flashes of horrendous ice.  It is possible to ride year-round though. 

Beth

Nanny,

Some of our counties seem to have rather high property taxes.  If you find an address that you're interested in, go to the County appraisal district for that address and check out what the taxes will be like.  Here are some:

For Dallas county (ugh, high taxes..)...   http://www.dallascad.org/

For Collin county (more high taxes)...   http://www.collincad.org/search.php

For Grayson county (where Tioga is)...   http://www.graysonappraisal.org/

I don't know if it's like this in other states, but I know in the county I live in here in Texas, horses DO NOT figure into the ag exemption!

All the "bad stuff" (mosquitoes, tornadoes, hot weather, etc)... well, you just learn to live with them. 

BTW, take a look at the Gainsville area... also beautiful horse properties.  Tyler area is beautiful, too.  And we have lots of lakes in the Central Texas areas (Joe Pool Lake, Possum Kingdom, Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake Tawakoni, Grapevine Lake, Lewisville Lake, etc).  Sorry, don't mean to sound like a travel agent. LOL

 However, BEWARE of "Black Gumbo"!!!!  You may want to research your soils in the area you will buy.  Don't know if you have ever dealt with it.  We have areas here where there is a black clay type soil.  It is hard as concrete and cracks open when dry and when it's wet it is sticky as all get out!  If there was one thing I would look for in my next place it would be NOT to be in the "gumbo".

If the property already has the ag exempt then if you buy it you will need to go to the tax acessors office and fill out the paper work to keep it.  It was one page explaing what type of animals you have and how you plan to use the land.  We listed horses and a cow and for the use it was grazing.   If you don't then when the new title is filed with the county they will assume that you no longer want the exemption.

We don't qualify for the SR discount yet, but when we bought the place the people we bought it from did.  The taxes on the house were $65 and $5 on the other 9 1/2 acres.  Almost made me wish I was older.