Pros and Cons of allowing Cell Tower on Property?

[JethroB]

My BIL‘s dad sold an acre for a four legged microwave tower to be built on their farm about 50 years ago. Ownership changed hands several times I believe. Now it’s an abandoned eyesore in their field. It interfered with a pivot irrigation install too. But hey, everyone knows where the Smith tower and farm is, it’s a local landmark.

 

[grsthegreat]

the only downside i would worry about is the effect of the 5g antenna that close by. it might just be me...but i dont trust that system.

 

[Richard]

The hilltop is zoned open space and this is why the taxes are only 30k

Only? lol.

The farm here (250 acres) is between $1,200 and $1,500 per year for entire property. That's total, not per acre.

 

[ultrarunner]

We keep hearing California has low property tax but the rate might be in line it is based on fair market value at transfer so the amounts are substantial.

A 1950 home just went on the market in East Oakland on 9.5 acres...

If the home sells at list price the buyer is looking at $1000 a WEEK property tax...

Just another reason people decide to cash out and leave... states like Texas and Idaho have plenty of stories of flush out of state buyers bidding up real estate.

 

[5030]

Glad I live where I live (Michigan) all my farmland is under PA 151 so the real estate taxes are very minimal, about 10 bucks a year per acre.

 

[grsthegreat]

I have ag and timber exemptions on my properties. The 10 acres is taxed on 1 acre only, other 9 are in grass production. My 20 acres is taxed on 2 acres, the other 18 in trees. That keeps our taxes within reason. If i ever saw a $52,000 tax id faint dead away.

 

[ultrarunner]

Now you know why the exit California is a popular topic…

It will be interesting to see how low prices deflate going forward.

When a median price home is well over a million in many Bay Area areas simple math translates to about 18k prop tax in my Bay Area city…

County would be less at around $12,000

 

[ponytug]

I have no idea, but wouldn't a cell tower be considered and upgrade to the property, like building a new garage or shop, or ADU, and therefore additive to the property tax? The bigger towers can't be cheap.

Here, the assessor values the land at a high value, and the house at nothing close to what it would cost for a like for like replacement. Watching the local sales, it would seem property buyers value it the other way around, I.e. a high value on the house, low value on the land, as an extra bedroom, or bathroom have a significant gain in what buyers have paid, land not so much. The second largest parcel on the road recently sold for very little more than another recent property a that is a tenth of its size, but has another 1000sq.ft. of living space.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ultrarunner]

Good question but if you don't own it and it is don't parked it would seem temporary by nature...

 

[EddieWalker]

Buddy of mine in CA has had enough and he has his house for sale in Pleasanton. It's 1,700 square feet, on a 7,000 square foot lot, for $1.7 million. It's nice enough, but nothing special. I just can't imagine why anybody would spend that much money for it. Then what will the property taxes be?

https://conniecox.legacyrea.com/details.php?mls=106&mlsid=41001660

 

[ultrarunner]

Oakland and the greater Bay Area leads the country in the current downturn and it is happening fast.

Days on Market, Price Reductions, Increasing Inventory, Lack of Buyers.

Six months ago the headlines were all about lack of inventory and bidding wars...

Now we have inventory and bidding in the rearview mirror...

As for taxes remember Statewide the California base rate is fixed at 1% making you friends buyer 17k to the State... add county and city taxes if applicable and buyer could easily be at 24k on a residential tract home.

The effective rate then is anywhere from 1.2% of value on the low side county property to as much as 1.6%+ of value for city property.

 

[MossRoad]

Buddy of mine in CA has had enough and he has his house for sale in Pleasanton. It's 1,700 square feet, on a 7,000 square foot lot, for $1.7 million. It's nice enough, but nothing special. I just can't imagine why anybody would spend that much money for it. Then what will the property taxes be?

https://conniecox.legacyrea.com/details.php?mls=106&mlsid=41001660

Location
Location
Location

You put that house on the west side of South Bend, and it’s $150ish. Move it a few miles to a local lake, and depending on which lake, it’s $400-750K. Move it to the shores of Lake Michigan, and it‘s $1-$2M.

Everything is market driven.

 

[MossRoad]

But I agree, it’s nuts!

 

[Cougsfan]

the only downside i would worry about is the effect of the 5g antenna that close by. it might just be me...but i dont trust that system.

I did a lot of research into that, as I was concerned about that when T-Mobile was changing their system to 5-G and found a lot of crap on the internet that scared me. I found a EE professor at WSU who specializes in electromagnetic communications development and implementation. I learned a lot from him, mainly there is a lot of misinformation and scare mongering out there concerning 5g communications. In the end, he said it could indeed be dangerous I were in a hypothetical situation that in practicality doesn't exist. But even with a tower on my property I should have nothing to worry about.

 

[ultrarunner]

Location
Location
Location

You put that house on the west side of South Bend, and it’s $150ish. Move it a few miles to a local lake, and depending on which lake, it’s $400-750K. Move it to the shores of Lake Michigan, and it‘s $1-$2M.

Everything is market driven.

And the market demand is drying up... so give it about a year to go nationwide.

Forsale signs popping up like mushrooms and it hasn't rained in months...

Real Estate is always cyclical but timing is often luck.

Several factors that kind of feed on each other... higher mortgage rates mean less qualify, stock market downturn takes money off the table, crime is a constant coming to the forefront and many school closures announced

All of of the above dampen demand and as odd as it seems when prices are not hitting new highs with every sale the urgency to buy diminishes.

 

[plowhog]

Owner needs to check with their insurance agent about liability.

This is a legitimate concern. A friend of mine was killed when his crop duster airplane hit a tower on private property.

 

[SouthernSky]

The Friday before Katrina hit, some cell tower folks brought me a contract for a tower on my land. I was to look it over and they would get back to me. Then Katrina took out over 200 towers so they never came back.

But I read the contract. Removal was not included. If we did not agree at renewal time, they could walk away leaving the asset on my property. Then it would be up to me to pay and remove it or pay taxes on the “improvement” on my land.

So make sure that a removal clause is listed to restoring the land the way it was before the tower was placed.

 

[Diggin It]

Concrete block and wood house built in '47, vinyl siding and some other things done in the early '00s on about 3 acres, about 10 houses on 3 miles of quiet paved rural road 25 miles from a town of any size, closer to 100 miles from a major city. County population is about 10,000, county water, all volunteer FDs but paid full time Deputies and EMS. Schools are OK for rural. County hospital is designated as Trauma.

Property taxes were just under $300 a year (not a typo) but are now $0 due to a Homestead Exemption.

Nearest cell towers are 3-4 miles away. The immediate area around me doesn't have the power capabilities they would need. Terrain and access are an issue too as much of this area floods and the roads become impassible.

 

[ultrarunner]

Hard to beat zero property tax…

I do know the tax collectors are happy as can be…

The run up in Real Estate high dollar sales has been phenomenal adding to the tax base.

Don’t know how a tower would impact assessment?

The park district expressed interest in obtaining 40 acres but was angling for a gift or legacy gift with tax benefits…

Just about everyone demand connectivity but when it comes to support infrastructure it’s almost always not in my backyard…

65 acres is too small to be considered for true AG exemptions or similar so it is treated the same as any other parcel in the county…

 

[ponytug]

Hard to beat zero property tax…

…

65 acres is too small to be considered for true AG exemptions or similar so it is treated the same as any other parcel in the county…

It should qualify for Wilson act protection.