Finance & Mortgage

Real Estate Tips: How to Make a Successful Appeal to Your Property Assessment

Wanting to make an appeal of your property assessment doesn't mean you want to get away with your taxes. Sometimes you have one good reason for an appeal, so how do you make this earnest plea a successful one?

The Daily Herald gives a few ways on how to make different ways on how to request an appeal. If the request is based on residential properties the following can be used as a basis of reducing the assessors' assessment value of your home. Compare recent sales within your area against the fair share market value of your property from properties of outlying counties. Another factor that can be used as a basis to reduce the assessment of your home is by comparing your house assessment to other assessments of properties within the area. The data can be obtained via the county assessors' website. If you just acquired your property in the last year or two and in an arm's length transaction, this can be used for reducing your assessment. This is with the assumption that the purchase price of your home is way lower than the county assessors appraised assessment. If you wish not to do any research you can actually submit a certified appraisal about your property being over appraised. However, this may cost you a few hundred dollars.

Bank Rate gives a few more tips on how to appeal to lower the figure of your property assessment. Availing the services of a third party such as from a general attorney or private appraisers can save you some time. This is if time or intimidation is a reason for you not to file an appeal yourself. They can actually help you file an appeal on a contingency basis. Often times they charge you by asking for a percentage on the savings of the resulting tax for the first year.

These are the essential tips or how to's that can help you appeal to your county's' assessor's office in reducing the assessment tax of your home.


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