Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Paying too much in property taxes? Learn to Appeal.

THE ASSESSMENT APPEAL PROCESS
Property owners sometimes feel that the department's estimate of their property value is wrong. The assessment appeal process is available to allow property owners the opportunity to dispute the value determined by the department. Property values rise and fall to reflect the market. A property owner should file an appeal when they believe that their property is not valued at its current market value.
Appeals may be filed on three occasions:1. upon receipt of an assessment notice;2. by a petition for review; and3. upon purchase of property between January 1 and June 30.
APPEAL ON REASSESSMENTProperty owners will normally receive a Notice of Assessment every three years that shows the old market value as well as the new market value. The new value reflects the market influence and other conditions affecting the property from the time of the last assessment.
If you decide to appeal, the first step is to reply to the Notice of Assessment by signing and returning the appeal form within 45 days of the date of the notice. Following this, a personal or telephone hearing will be scheduled. Appeals can also be made in writing, eliminating the need for a hearing.
PETITION FOR REVIEWIf events have occurred since your last regular assessment that you believe have caused your property value to decline or if you failed to respond to the Notice of Assessment within the required time frame, you may file for a petition for review by January 1 of any year. Click here to obtain a Petition form. The completed form should be mailed to your local assessment office. After filing the petition, you will be scheduled for a hearing; or, if you prefer, your written submission can be reviewed eliminating the need for a hearing.
Via Brian Turner Keller Williams Preferred Properties

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