Field Guide to Property Tax Appeals
(Updated April 2010)
You just received your property taxes and they]'ve gone up again. What can you do? Although each individual assessing body has a different method of filing property tax appeals, this Field Guide offers some general guidelines and resources to give you an edge in the process. (A. Siudzinski, Senior Information Specialist)
Property Taxes & Real Estate Values
Five property tax questions you need to ask, (REALTOR® Magazine - Handouts for Buyers).
How real estate property taxes work, (HowStuffWorks.com).
Why real estate assessments matter; The real estate assessment letter you filed away unopened is the driving force behind how much you pay in property taxes, (www.HouseLogic.com, Oct. 2009).
Calls grow to cap property taxes; Higher assessed values push up bills, sparking outcry as market prices drop, (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 5, 2009).
The connection between house price appreciation and property tax revenues, (National Tax Journal, Sept. 2008).
States move to cut, cap property taxes; As home values decline, many will have to make up lost revenue by other means, (Wall Street Journal, June 11, 2008).
Property tax appeals on the rise, (www.dontmesswithtaxes.com, Dec. 13, 2008).
Challenging Your Property Tax Bill
Overtaxed homeowners start to fight back, (MSNBC, Apr. 7, 2010).
High property taxes? 4 steps to lowering them, (MSNBC, Apr. 7, 2010).
The new basics: homeowners hold ground against rising property taxes, (The Wall Street Journal, Mar. 6, 2010). Q
Should homeowner appeal tax assessment?, (The Wall Street Journal, Jan. 29, 2010). Q
Appeal your property tax bill: To successfully appeal your property tax bill, you first need to do a bit of sleuthing into your real estate assessment, (HouseLogic, Oct. 2009).
Time to appeal that tax bill?, (REALTOR® Magazine, Nov. 2008).
Cut your property taxes: Three steps to a property tax reassessment, (Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Apr. 2008).
Property value adjustment, (Bankrate.com, Apr. 27, 2008).
The great property tax squeeze; Assessments are expanding, but prices are contracting. Ready to hit back? Here's how, (Money, Mar. 2008).
Appealing your property tax bill, (Realty Times, Feb. 2008).
Commercial Property Appeals
Appealing time to reassess property taxes, (Lodging Hospitality, Feb. 1, 2010). Q
Entrepreneurs take on tax man—business owners seek to cut costs by appealing property assessments, (The Wall Street Journal, Oct. 13, 2009). Q
Reassessing market value, (National Real Estate Investor, Feb. 2009).
Battling excessive taxation in economic downturns, (REJournals.com, Jan. 22, 2009).
Knowing when to appeal a tax bill, (Natonal Real Estate Investor, Feb. 2003).
Websites
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following ebooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
The Unbounded Home: Property Values Beyond Property Lines
How to Invest in Real Estate & Pay Little or No Taxes
Business Valuation and Taxes: Procedure, Law, and Perspective
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
The resources below are available for loan through Information Central. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Central at 800.874.6500 for assistance.
Challenging the conventional wisdom of the property tax, (Hollis, NH: Puritan Press, 2010).
How to reduce your property taxes, (Genesis Press, 1995).
Reduce your property taxes, (Crisp Publications, 1992).
The Worst Tax? A History of the Property Tax in America, (University of Kansas Press, 1996).
Field Guides & More
These Field Guides and other resources in the Virtual Library may also be of interest:
Field Guide to Impacts of Property Taxes on Real Estate
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The inclusion of links on this Field Guide does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked to this Field Guide complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.
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