Sandy Kauffman and her husband left Radnor and bought their Graduate Hospital home in October 2008. They paid $260,000 and
received 10-year tax abatement for construction. Their property tax is under $2,000 annually.
“I get that the house should be taxed at a higher rate than that,” Kauffman said. “The concern is that we’re going to get slammed. I don’t want it to go to suburban taxes. The school district sucks here.”
The Kauffman’s residential block in South Philadephia, which Sandy calls “dumpsterville” because of all the construction, is host to properties ranging from $700,000 to $1 million.
“When we bought this house we had some push back from some neighbors because their fear is that their taxes are going to go up,” Kauffman said. “The woman right across from me has been here since the ‘70s. She doesn’t want us [and] I don’t blame her. She doesn’t want to see her taxes skyrocket. Nobody does.”
Kauffman has been selling realty in the area for about 10 years. Despite the pending property tax reassessments, Kauffman said, “They’re still moving here in droves.”
“I don’t think any of us are totally clear, whether we live here or we’re realtors, where this is all heading.”
Like the directness about the schools. I resent giving more money to failure.