The most time consuming part of disputing a tax assessment is the preparation. In order to prepare an adequate case, you will need to be a licensed real estate agent, to hire a licensed real estate agent, or to get access to the home sales data in your area. It is likely that disputing based on something that your next door neighbor told you will result in defeat. We have won two thirds of our tax disputes, but bear in mind, we do not dispute an assessment if we cannot lay out a solid case as to why a home should be revalued.
To show that your home’s assessment is too high, you will need to prove one or more of one of the following; 1) There is adequate reason to believe your home cannot be compared in value to other homes in the neighborhood (ie. Your home is not livable, or does not have similar features or amenities, has significantly smaller square footage, has a different amount of bedrooms than most other homes or has a design that is different from the other homes that could lower the value), 2) That recent comparable sales in the neighborhood prove to be lower than the assessment (ie. Home values are declining in the neighborhood), or 3) that a recent appraisal of your home shows the value lower than the assessed value.
You should take as much data to your hearing as possible. Get a comparative market analysis (CMA) done by a local Realtor. If you have an appraisal, take it with you. Obviously, the more recent the appraisal is, the better it will be for you. However, if you have a 3 year old appraisal that shows a value of $300,000 and you can show that the appreciation rate over the past 3 years has been steady at 3% (the value of the home should have appreciated to $327,818) but the assessor’s office has valued your home at $350,000 you should still use the old appraisal to make your case.
I have even brought in photos of other houses in the neighborhood to show that they are comparable to my home. I bring as much data as I can get to back up my case. I bring so much stuff that the assessor’s employee would have no way to explain denying my claim. I’ve even had them began stammering and stuttering as they’ve attempted to defend their position. I just sit there and stare back at them as they struggle to explain themselves. After stuttering through several sentences, they will usually give up and tell me they will reduce the assessment. At times it’s almost funny to watch them try to wiggle out.