Morning Briefing: These states have the highest property taxes

These states have the highest property taxes… Boston housing advocates want eviction protection… Al Martino home sells for $7.8 million…

These states have the highest property taxes
American homeowners pay an average $2,127 in property taxes each year according to US Census Bureau data. In 27 states there is also a vehicle property tax, adding an average $412 to the cost.

Analysis by Wallethub found that the charges, which also affect rents, vary widely across the states with the lowest rate paid by those in Alabama, where a state-median priced home ($123,800) means a rate of $538. The highest charge is paid by those in New Jersey, where a state-median priced home ($319,900) means property tax of $7,335.

When ranked using the median US home price of $176k, Hawaii has the lowest real estate tax rate at 0.28 per cent, meaning a payment of $489 in taxes; New Jersey is still the most expensive on this metric with a rate of 2.29 per cent creating a tax of $4,029.
 
Boston housing advocates want eviction protection
Housing advocates are planning to lobby city councillors in Boston Monday to call for stronger protection for renters. As the housing market continues to feel the heat, the advocates from City Life/Vida Urbana want officials to rule that ‘non-fault notice to quit’ evictions must be notified to the City, stating the reasons for the eviction. They say that the measure would stop landlords evicting whole buildings in order to renovate and hike rents.

Opponents of some of the advocates’ proposals said that they were trying to bring in rent control. Greg Vasil, chief executive of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, said some small landlords from his organization will testify against the plans: “But we’re not going to be hysterical,” he told the Boston Globe “We have no rallies planned on City Hall Plaza.”
 
Al Martino home sells for $7.8 million
The long-time home of singer and actor Al Martino has sold in Beverly Hills. The LA Times reports that the English-style home in North Rexford Drive was owned for decades by the Martino family; Al died in 2009. The four-bedroom, seven-bathroom home with a separate guest house sold in an all-cash deal for $7.8 million but the buyer could have saved more than a million dollars if they’d snapped it up last year when it was listed for a short time at $6.5 million.