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by DocTomoe 25 days ago
In reality, they will now just create a company in Singapore or Mongolia or another such place, which will then own the second home - while itself being owned by the original owner. Problem solved significantly cheaper than this new tax. In fact, I would not be surprised if they have already done that four months ago, when the law was being discussed.

The ones who will be hit are those who do not have the legal frameworks in place to erect such structures - Joe Homeowner who inherits grandmas city house, both worth slightly above the magic 7 figures.
3 comments
usefulcat 25 days ago
> they will now just create a company in Singapore or Mongolia or another such place, which will then own the second home

How will that help to avoid a tax on secondary residences? Are they somehow going to claim that these properties are the primary residence of a company? Seems nonsensical.

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DocTomoe 25 days ago
No. The residence becomes an 'asset', and the original owner (and now owner of your friendly Mongolian NYC-condo-operations company [MNYCCOC]) now pays rent to the very same MNYCCOC as the landlord. They could even consider the condo to be a very exclusive one-suite hotel and pay by day, and deduct hotel costs for living in said condo as 'necessary business expenses'. In the meantime, the MNYCCOC is a good citizen, and pays taxes but only after ... and deducts everything necessary for upkeep, from dripping faucets to elevator repair to housemaids ('janitorial staff'), making them essentially free.

It's accountancy that makes the world go round round round...

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ndiddy 25 days ago
Isn't that a good thing? It would encourage Joe Homeowner to sell the house to someone who could use it as a primary residence rather than leaving it empty and speculating on the real estate value.
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DocTomoe 25 days ago
Joe Homeowner already is incentivized to sell grandma's home. Homes need upkeep. No-one keeps an old home around to rot and fall down - that tends to bee bad for the evaluation. The issue is that those who can't finance a primary residence now won't be able to finance a primary residence then.
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jmye 25 days ago
Why is this mythical "everyman" you've concocted for empathy points not selling a property he doesn't need that happens to be worth a "magic 7 figures"?
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