Are you one of the many homeowners who hold off on filing a tax grievance or pursuing a reduction in your property taxes because you fear it may actually result in the opposite, an increase in your taxes?
This is a common fear among homeowners, you are not alone. Although it’s common there is absolutely no basis for it. In fact, it may be the single most common thing that freezes people in their tracks right along with their property taxes.
Here is the truth:
As a homeowner you have a right, and I feel a responsibility to yourself and your family, to review your property tax assessment each and every year. Yes, you have a right and you can’t be punished for exercising it!
If you ignore this right, you may continue to be over-assessed and over taxed year after year. I have had clients who discovered they were over-taxed by as much as $16,000, now this is extreme, but $2,000 to $4,000 is nothing to sneeze at and it adds up year after year.
There are only two ways your taxes can increase
The only time your assessment will go up is first, if you improve your property. For example, if you build a deck, finish your basement, add a bathroom, and even then you will only be assessed for the improvement itself.
The second way that your assessment can go up is if your town or city conducts a re-assessment which means that they reassess the entire town or city, but they will not and cannot re-assess you because you challenged your assessment.
Furthermore, I review all of the properties I represent and would never file an assessment on a property that I do not feel merits a reduction, so if it is already high how could it possibly be raised. Whether you file your own grievance or hire someone to do it for you, I recommend that you carefully review assessment so that you only file if you have a legitimate case. Not because your assessment may go up, it won’t, but why would you want to waste your time or anyone else’s. If you don’t know how to review your assessment I address this in one of my posts and in my FAQ-videos.
The bottom line is, you cannot be punished for exercising your right to challenge your assessment, so don’t put it off any longer. If you don’t know how to do it or don’t want to be bothered I would love to personally help you, just contact me via post, e-mail, or phone.