Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I contested mine successfully as well. I checked my neighbors' assessments, and pointed out the differences in our houses -- mine was the only wood sided home on the street, had a detached garage when all the others were attached, etc. -- and won a reduction from $75,000 to $64,000.
I contested my assessment a few years ago and the county came back with an acceptable compromise figure. Anything that can be demonstrated to show a lower value should be used. take pictures, etc.
In my case, there was a broken sewer line on the property, and this nasty looking and smelling black/brown goo was seeping through the basement walls. It made a great photograph.
After a huge leap of tax increase, I intended to contest my tax assessment in Texas a few years ago. The assessors office actually advised me that there was a better way to skin the cat.
In TX at that time in order to contest an assessment, one had to make reservations for a hearing in front of the Board of Assesssment and present the relevant information and hope for a sympathetic outcome from the hearing, essentially claiming that their assessor had been in error when examining the property and that the value assessed was incorrect. This is tantamount to saying that their own employee is incompetent and untrustworthy. Bad idea.
Conversely, I was advised that I'd be much better off NOT contesting the current assessment, but presenting any extra facts and evidence at the next years assessment, to the assessor. So I did.
I made an appointment the following year to have the county tax assessor come to the house at a certain date and time and we would review the property and facts and records together. I was able to point out to him that their square footage estimate was erroneous, that our water pressure was sub-par, and provided recent sales records that surrounding land was not worth as much as the county said it was.
All in all, when I was done with the guy, my property tax assessment was reduced by half, and my property taxes were halved.
I never contested a current assessment, I was present for and requested a NEW assessment the following tax year. And the facts in evidence for the new assessment proved that my property was not worth what they had claimed it to be the previous year.
CAVEAT: I sold my property a couple of years later. Not surprisingly, there was a huge discrepancy between the tax assessment and the comparable market value. The buyers were very confused by this. I did my best to explain that they were going to pay me X amount of money for the property even though the county assessed it to be worth only half of that. It did turn out to be something of a problem, but I did finally sell the place at market value and now those people are paying full taxes on it. Oh well.....
I had no idea you could pre-arrange to be present when they come to assess your home and land. Great to know, I'll see if its the same in my area.
For some reason I had envisioned a sneaky little dude with a clipboard on tiptoes running around the lot, then vanishing as quickly as he'd arrived. Something similar to the meter reader. It wouldnt shock me if the county were to say "oh, we never know what time he can or will arrive. If you see him you can talk to him though" haha.
Update- I got my property tax assessment lowered by over $80,000!!!
Congratulations.
Now pay attention to the rate, multiplier or whatever it's called in your area. When property values are appreciating, the rate tends to hold or decrease. When property values are declining, the rate tends to increase to offset the declining base.
All municipalities need $X to function. Alternatives to increased property taxes include budget cuts impacting schools, police, fire protection, parks and libraries. In many cases, such cuts are tough due to union contracts and/or required payments on municipal bonds.
After closing I plan to go into town hall with proof that my house is worth $100,000 less than the assessed value.
Has anyone here succeeded in having their assessment lowered??
Yes we did succeed! It was done through the mail and then the assessor came out and looked at our house. He agreed with our grievance and readjusted to the exact amount of our accepted offer, before we rolled in our appliances.
In Kansas, this is the only place I have ever contested the valuation of the property, if you show up with "proof", looking at what other properties are selling for - issues that make your property worth less, comparing other properties to yours and what they are paying - all this is public records, you should prevail. Selling prices are down in most places now.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
