Anyone else's butt sore? (Property Taxes)

[CyberB0b]

I bought my house in mid 2013 and my tax value just increased 35k. I am planning on fighting it using the "Value is unequal compared with other properties" argument.

Anyone else protest your property taxes? How did it go?

 

[CashMan]

I bought my house in mid 2013 and my tax value just increased 35k. I am planning on fighting it using the "Value is unequal compared with other properties" argument.

Anyone else protest your property taxes? How did it go?

Like, your property taxes went up $35K? Or your homes value went up to get taxed more?

 

[CyberB0b]

Like, your property taxes went up $35K? Or your homes value went up to get taxed more?

Property value increased 35k. I have a lot of data on my neighborhood, and my value went up 19%, more than anyone within 5 blocks.

 

[DFWJC]

I bought my house in mid 2013 and my tax value just increased 35k. I am planning on fighting it using the "Value is unequal compared with other properties" argument.

Anyone else protest your property taxes? How did it go?

Yeah, mine took off too.
I'm going to protest for sure.
Also, I think there's a limit on how much it can go up fromyer to year anyway.

 

[Phoenix]

Wow

 

[CyberB0b]

Yeah, mine took off too.
I'm going to protest for sure.
Also, I think there's a limit on how much it can go up fromyer to year anyway.

That only applies if you have owned the property for more than 2 years. I just completed my analysis using their information. I found 20 properties that are in my neighborhood with similar square footage and condition (as they have it rated). They have my house at $77/sq ft and the median of these 20 properties (including mine) is $66/sq ft.

They have to prove "the appraised value of the property is equal to or less than the median appraised value of a reasonable number of comparable properties appropriately adjusted." According to my analysis, they can't prove it. Hopefully, they agree. I have a hearing scheduling next month, but I can go in for an informal hearing any time. I am going first thing Monday morning.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Yes our property taxes have been protested on more than one occasion for pretty much the same reasons.
It was pretty much a waste of time and effort on our part.

Let me just say that all property taxes should have been abolished long ago.
Crooks...........

 

[CyberB0b]

Yes our property taxes have been protested on more than one occasion for pretty much the same reasons.
It was pretty much a waste of time and effort on our part.

Let me just say that all property taxes should have been abolished long ago.
Crooks...........

So you didn't have much luck?

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

No none whatsoever.......

 

[Route 66]

I wish I had this issue!

 

[burmafrd]

my mother went through this about 4 years ago. They do this to get more money. And most do not fight it so they get away with it. But my mother refused to and made such a stink they dropped it back to where it was. That is what you have to do. Cannot let them do this unchallenged.

 

[vta]

Not that my asking is much help, but what state are you in?

 

[cml750]

I have had to battle to get my property value lowered before for tax purposes. Just go prepared with the value and square footage of the homes around you with pictures for caparison purposes. If there are any flaws in you house like masonry cracks from foundation issues or such, take pictures and present them. I have done this twice and was successful each time. This will not hurt you if you ever sell the house as the market will set the value not the tax assessor.

 

[CyberB0b]

I have had to battle to get my property value lowered before for tax purposes. Just go prepared with the value and square footage of the homes around you with pictures for caparison purposes. If there are any flaws in you house like masonry cracks from foundation issues or such, take pictures and present them. I have done this twice and was successful each time. This will not hurt you if you ever sell the house as the market will set the value not the tax assessor.

Thanks. Going to the informal hearing in a few minutes.

 

[trickblue]

Yes our property taxes have been protested on more than one occasion for pretty much the same reasons.
It was pretty much a waste of time and effort on our part.

Let me just say that all property taxes should have been abolished long ago.
Crooks...........

This...

[rant]They pretty much do anything they want. Not only do I pay around $8500 a year, I have to pay $125 per kid per sport. I have to buy school approved sports equipment at an inflated price from a specific website so the school gets kickbacks. All this while the brand new school has hundreds of video monitors mounted all over the school and a new bond issue just passed after we had one five years ago...

Hello to another $500 a year...[/rant]

It's a waste of your time to protest most likely...

 

[CyberB0b]

Ok, well the informal hearing was a joke. The guy was a real prick. I am hoping the formal hearing is a little more professional.

 

[cml750]

Ok, well the informal hearing was a joke. The guy was a real prick. I am hoping the formal hearing is a little more professional.

I did not have any luck in the informal part either. For the real hearing you will go before a board. That is where your homework will pay off. Make a copy of your research for each member of the board so they can follow you easily. I was told both times I did this I did a good job because I was so prepared. I think they were more impressed with how prepared I was than my actual research. They lowered my value significantly both times.

 

[CyberB0b]

I did not have any luck in the informal part either. For the real hearing you will go before a board. That is where your homework will pay off. Make a copy of your research for each member of the board so they can follow you easily. I was told both times I did this I did a good job because I was so prepared. I think they were more impressed with how prepared I was than my actual research. They lowered my value significantly both times.

Thanks, did you fight it on market value or unequal assessment? I don't really have a case for market value, but I think I have a pretty strong case for unequal assessment.

 

[cml750]

Thanks, did you fight it on market value or unequal assessment? I don't really have a case for market value, but I think I have a pretty strong case for unequal assessment.

It was so long ago I do not remember for certain. I think it was on unequal assessment. The first time I presented the appraised value of every house on my street with pictures and the second time, about 5 years later, I took pictures of every flaw in my house and presented them along with the assessed values and pictures of other homes. Both times it worked. Make a copy of documentation and pictures for each board / panel member (there were 3 when I did it) and present your case in a professional and organized manner. There are also companies who will do this for you but they probably charge a lot.

 

[CyberB0b]

I think I am being screwed now. After my informal hearing, they changed the CDU from Average to Excellent and changed the Effective Build Date of my house from 1996 to 2001 (Actually built in 1986). There isn't a single house in the neighborhood rated like this, so now I have no comps.