Since I built my house in '77...my taxes have gone from $800 to $3,800 per year. My current real estate taxes cost per month is more than my original mortgage payments. I used to think that after my house was paid off, I would own it free and clear. Now I realize with the ever increasing taxes that is not happening.
Personally, I have absolutely no desire for a bigger, more beautiful and luxurious home. That's just not me. We recently completed a massive new home that had these two huge motorized chandeliers that lower from two stories up so they can be dusted and bulbs changed. What a freikin waste! That kind of crap does nothing for me.
I've also noticed something...after building homes for people across the income spectrum over the last 45 years.....wealthy people often have more problems and are more miserable than their poorer blue collar counterparts. I have some theories about wealthy people after dealing with so many over the years