Property Taxes

Ever wondered how property taxes are calculated? Since you may pay an average of $179.91 for these, it may be time for you to seriously consider lowering them. And yes, it is possible.

These are determined by your county’s assessment of your home and land. You’ll want to head on over to city hall and ask for your property tax card. There, you’ll see a detailed description of your land and home, but there may be discrepancies such as square footage or how many bedrooms you have. While you’re there, examine the assessments of homes in your neighborhood. Make sure they are consistent, especially if some homes are identical to yours. If their homes are valued lower it could mean that YOUR property was overvalued.

Then, request a property tax reassessment, which will require you to show your property to an assessor. It’s important that you let them inside your home too, otherwise, they’ll have to make assumptions and are likely to round up.

Still not satisfied? If you disagree with the reassessment, you can challenge it. File with the county and request a hearing with the State Board of Equalization. This time around, your home and land will be under heavy scrutiny, so only do this if you’re 100% sure the reassessment is wrong. Otherwise, you might end up paying MORE taxes!