| If you own a residential home, there are literally | | | | usually a 30-day period in which you can file a |
| hundreds of ways that you can get your property | | | | complaint to a review board after your assessment |
| taxes reduced, sometimes almost immediately! When | | | | notice has been mailed to you. Did you know that an |
| was the last time you had your property record | | | | error of 50 ft.² or more is quite common in a lot |
| reviewed by the property assessor? There are literally | | | | of homes and you could literally end up paying |
| thousands of people every year that end up paying | | | | hundreds or possibly thousands of dollars less on an |
| excessive property taxes. Why? Mainly because most | | | | annual basis because of this one error in your property |
| people feel intimidated or threatened and would rather | | | | record? |
| "JUST PAY" instead of making their local authorities | | | | There are various other terms used within the |
| accountable to them. | | | | assessment and property taxation industry that you |
| It all boils down to the assessed value of your | | | | should be familiar with so you can approach your local |
| property. The property assessment and taxation | | | | assessor with confidence. When you are |
| system follows a framework shared throughout North | | | | knowledgeable, you can put them on the spot and get |
| America. Numerous municipalities are going to market | | | | the answers you need to make sure that you are |
| value based assessment systems, and therefore, you | | | | paying only your fair share of the property tax pie. |
| are able to relate the assessed value of your property | | | | Being familiar with such terms as valuation models, |
| to what it could potentially have sold for as of a | | | | base year, condition date, and final date of complaint |
| specific date. Whether you are in the United States or | | | | will help you understand their explanations when |
| Canada, the method of delivery by each municipality | | | | discussing your property. If you plan on challenging the |
| may be different, but the bottom line is you pay your | | | | assessed value of your property, a visit to your local |
| property taxes based on a specific assessed value. | | | | assessment office could be one of the best things |
| Did you know that your property taxes are one of the | | | | you've ever done for your family's budget. |
| few government-imposed taxes in today's society that | | | | As a former tax assessor, there were times that I |
| can be disputed with relative success? Your success | | | | gave instant reductions of $1,500 or more due to |
| will depend on your skills or basic knowledge of how | | | | errors that were revealed on property record cards. |
| your property is assessed and your ability to | | | | Your municipality is obligated to correct these errors |
| determine how much your property is actually worth. | | | | immediately, and henceforth, you're going to enjoy |
| Numerous factors come into play when it comes to | | | | paying significantly less taxes as a result. Unfortunately, |
| calculating your assessed value. The most important | | | | the onus is placed on you, the homeowner, to bring to |
| factor in determining the value of your property is | | | | the attention of the authorities of any errors on your |
| location. Through the eyes of the tax assessor, it is a | | | | record. Since they have literally thousands of |
| very important factor when it comes to calculating | | | | properties to revise and change on an annual basis, |
| your final value. They also take into consideration such | | | | numerous errors are made that go unnoticed year |
| items as site influences, which include such things as | | | | after year. When I was working in the field for 20 plus |
| proximity to traffic flows, views, golf courses, | | | | years, I found properties often where people had been |
| waterways, commercial establishments beside you | | | | paying excessive property taxes for 10, 15, 20 or even |
| and dozens of other items. | | | | 30 or more years and they didn't even know it. Don't |
| Items specific to your actual house such as square | | | | become one of these unfortunate folks. Do your |
| footage, structure style and design, depreciation, | | | | homework now. When was the last time you |
| renovations, additions and numerous other items also | | | | reviewed your assessment record? |
| affect the assessment on your property. There is | | | | |