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The Daily Reporter of Coldwater, MI headline reports that a "Zoning dispute moves into political arena after suit fizzles". Do you know the zoning rules for the township you are purchasing a home in? If not, educate yourself. Many real estate agents work in multiple zoned townships and may not know how those rules may affect your future use.

Lake property has been long known for its property line disputes, zoning issues, and building restrictions. Many townships have adopted a new zoning ordinance which prohibits changes to "non-conforming" structures. As we know, a large percentage of lake property is non-conforming, and with this new ordinance very few lake home owners can improve their property. The ZBA must review any variance put before the board, but with this recent court case the board has more ammunition than ever to deny your variance.

Why do zoning boards wish to hamper building and secondary lake home buying by enacting such a stringent ordinance? They often site safety (fire) in arguing setbacks, but in many cases the homeowner does not want to change the foundation footprint. So why are the zoning ordnances so unyielding? The state did a very expensive study of zoning ordinances in which the state government wanted to enact “uniformity” in zoning rules. Many townships, without understanding the impact of the changes to their township, enacted the new ordinance without thorough consideration. Many of the constituents of these townships have a primary home out of state and are given no warning to these changes. When pressed, the zoning board admits that these out of town residents should attend the board meetings and become informed. Commonsense never prevails in government, and serving their community may not be the motive when digging their heals into the sand.

It's important to understand Michigan Property Taxes prior to purchasing a vacation home.  Please talk with your tax attorney or accountant for ways to reduce your tax liability.  To gain some insight on how to quality for a homestead exemption in the state of Michigan please go to: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/2856_11014_7.pdf 

Indiana's assessed valuations are changing.  The big draw to purchasing a vacation home in Indiana used to be the tax liability; however, that differential is changing.  Be aware that the current assessment on an Indiana property will change when you purchase.  The gap is closing, so do your homework.