Jackie Reed

“I’ve seen a mass exodus. I’ve been a realtor for 24 years, on average selling 40 to 50 homes a year. I usually had my sellers call me because they wanted to move to a new house [in Illinois]. Now, instead, they call and say, ‘We’re done, the taxes are too high. Too much corruption.’

“I’m not exaggerating, that’s 85% to 90% of my sellers now.

“I’ve had people go right over the border to Wisconsin or Indiana and still work here. They’re fine spending some extra time [commuting].

“What I’m seeing in Illinois is [house] prices being pushed down so that buyers could afford the taxes.

“The last couple I worked with, they wanted to be here, closer to their grandkids. I showed them probably 30 homes. They fell in love with a lot of them, but they said the taxes were too crazy. They couldn’t stomach that.

“People have to qualify for a monthly payment, not necessarily a purchase price. If someone can afford a $250,000 house but taxes are not in line with that value, it throws them out from being able to buy that home.

“I have one property now in Crystal Lake. The owners originally bought the home for $497,000. We’ve had to reduce to $318,000. It’s a struggle to get anyone to buy because the taxes are over $13,000. I’ve had the loan officer say they can’t afford to buy this house because the property taxes are too high.

“It affects me and everyone involved. People used to sell and buy [in Illinois] now it’s sell and move out.

“It’s not right.”

Jackie Reed
Lake in the Hills, Illinois