This burnt-out 3-bedroom in Torrance sold for over $1 million. Welcome to California's housing market

[BadgerMom]

16. But property tax on it is killer.

My husband had a contract that brought us to Fort Worth from Southern California. I’d look at prices for homes around the DFW area and be amazed at how much further your money went in Texas compared to California. Of course, it was still Texas. My husband responded when I said something about it with a comparison. The difference in property tax bills for our lovely home in California and those far less expensive Texas homes was startling! California taxes were far less. (I’m sorry. This was in 2012. I no longer remember the precise numbers.)

Similarly, auto registration in California was far less. No state income tax seems lovely, but government must be funded. Texas makes up for not having a state income tax by higher taxes in other areas.

That said, I realize Prop 13 is likely the reason that California property taxes are less than those of Texas. I’d rather still have the services that were eliminated when Prop 13 passed. That might have kept California real estate at lower levels as well as providing other services.