Are you paying too much in property taxes? Yes... and here's the proof
By now, everyone has an opinion on the battered American economy: why it happened, who caused it, and what we should (or shouldn’t) do about it. There’s one issue that almost all of us agree on though…no one wants to pay higher taxes, whether it’s to bail out the latest corporate behemoth-turned-beggar, or the city and state governments who continually complain about budget shortfalls.
How to appeal your property taxes
Know your home’s market value. The housing market in the US has changed drastically the last few years. After record growth in many markets throughout the US, many of those same markets have softened or even diminished in value. This can be especially problematic if your area only reassesses property values every two or three years and you got hit at the top of the bubble. If you are considering an appeal, you should know what your house is worth in relation to your tax assessment.
Do Your Research and Gather Your Evidence
Before you make your challenge, you need to know the laws and rights that apply to you. Contact your county assessor’s office either online or in person to find out the procedures that you must follow. The last thing you want is for your challenge to be denied on a technicality, so be very careful on what forms to fill out, what evidence to submit, and how to submit it.
The most valuable piece of evidence you can secure is a recent (within the last 3 months) full-value appraisal. An appraisal like this will measure your home’s value compared to 3 or 4 nearby recently-sold properties. This will show you what the market conditions are like in your area and what effect they have on your home’s value. A respectable appraisal company will know exactly what evidence to gather if you tell them the purpose for the appraisal.
"Our primary objective is the minimization of property tax through the utilization of our valuation expertise"
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