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Item# 226-2
ISBN13: 978-0-942679-07-6
ISBN: 0-942679-07-5
Copyright 1989
300 pp.
1.20lb
Form: Paperback, Trade paperback (US)
Price: $6.95

Your Low-Tax Dream House
A New Approach to Slashing the Cost of Home Ownership (May have cover scuffs)

By Steve Carlson

This is a small-press classic, first issued in 1989, that has helped thousands of people to build or remodel better houses for less money. We've not only kept it in print, but actually slashed the price of the book itself, to just $6.95 if you buy it from our Web site! <

The book was acclaimed by Better Homes and Gardens as a source of "Strategies that can save you money!" A review in Practical Homeowner noted: "In this excellent book, Steve Carlson describes why basic decisions, such as the kind of roof you choose, should be looked at in the context of tax burdens as well as the usual considerations of durability and style." It was later picked up by a big press (Avon) and republished under the title The Best Home for Less. The Avon book has now sold out, so the original small-press edition is back in demand.

Carlson offers a unique approach to holding down all costs of home ownership. He starts by looking at the arbitrary rules that property-tax assessors use in determing the "value" of the house for tax purposes. Then, he designs features in ways that allow the best-possible house with the lowest-possible property taxes. In the process, he follows many diversions to assure that you get maximum value, every step of the way in building or remodeling your dream house. Among the things you'll learn from this book:

How to easily decipher the complex ins-and-outs of property tax assessments
The "magic date" for construction that can save you thousands of dollars
The most cost-efficient designs, which also look good and serve practical needs
How to slash to the bone the cost of building great kitchens and baths
The optimal locations, from the standpoints of price and quality of life
Making the most out of both finished and unfinished spaces
Cheap heating and cooling
The advantages of an old-fashioned cold pantry
Making the most of sweat equity
The advantages of avoiding built-ins
And much, much more.

Note: One of the advantages of the book originally was extensive research by the author on the property-tax systems within each state. Obviously, state laws, municipal ordinances, and local conventions may have changed since 1989, so some of the those specific provisions are no longer current. However, the conclusions drawn for building and remodeling better homes for less money are as valid today as they were when the book was new. And if you are interested in the specifics of tax assessment in your community, the book is still one of the best sources of information on what to look for and where to find it.

Most of the remaining copies have slight scuffs on the cover, and we are selling them at a deep discount. At the low sale price, you might want to order copies for any and all of your friends who are thinking about home ownership, or who are eager to move up to a dream house on a limited budget!

What People are Saying

"Strategies that can save you money!"

—Better Homes and Gardens
"In this excellent book, Steve Carlson describes why basic decisions, such as the kind of roof you choose, should be looked at in the context of tax burdens as well as the usual considerations of durability and style."
—Practical Homeowner