When you receive your Notice of Assessment in the mail from the Fulton County tax assessor, you need to make sure that it is entirely accurate. If you feel that your property taxes are higher than they should be, it could be due to a problem with the assessment of the property. This should be indicated on the assessment that is sent to you in the mail.
The notice includes information that is very important, and that you need to check carefully. They will include the classification of your property. If you are the primary owner of the residence, and you occupy it, it will be a residential property on the letter. The notice will also include the taxable value of the property, along with any exemptions that have been applied, and the assessed value of the property. The Fulton County tax assessor determines the value of the property, and this is one of the areas that many people dispute.
One of the other elements included in the notice is the appeals process. If you believe that the valuation of your home is incorrect for any reason, you will want to file an appeal, so you can have your case looked at and double-checked. Some people never bother to look at the assessment once they see that it is not their actual tax bill. They may never even know that they are paying too much in property taxes.
Should You File an Appeal?
The assessed value of the home might be too high in your opinion, and if this is true, it means you are paying more in taxes each year than you really owe since the taxes are based on the taxable value of your home. If you can lower your assessed value for the home, it means that you will have a lower property tax to pay. Even if the amount is relatively small, it could be worth it to file an appeal. In some cases, people can save hundreds and even thousands of dollars when they do this.
A Property Valued Too Low
While most people are going to file an appeal because they believe they are being charged too much for their property taxes, in some cases, a homeowner will find that they were not being charged enough because their property was valued too low. This may not seem to be much of a problem for many people, but those who are considering selling their home in the near future will want to consider appealing and trying to get the value of their home in Fulton County raised. With a lower valuation from the tax assessor, it means that potential homebuyers are not going to want to pay as much for your property. Even when the property is valued too low, you will go through the same process when it comes to filing an appeal. You will also need to show evidence that your property is worth more, just as you would have to show a reduced value for your property if you thought the value was too high.
Filing the Appeal
Once the Fulton County tax assessor has provided you with the notice, you will have a limited amount of time to file your appeal. It is important that you file within this period, or you will have to wait until the following year to do it. If they do not agree that the valuation should be different, they will let you know, and then you have another 30 days to appeal that decision and have your case heard.
The process can take months to complete, but it is well worth it if there is a chance you could save money on your taxes. This can help you for years to come. In addition, there tends to be quite a bit of paperwork and legwork associated with proving that your property is valued incorrectly. Often, it is in your best interest to make sure you are working with a property tax consultant who can help you with this.
The consultant will examine the facts regarding your home to determine whether the assessed value is correct or not. They will look at your home in comparison to other similar and comparable homes in the area that sold recently. They need to make sure that they are looking at properties that were sold traditionally and not through a short sale, and that were sold during the time the Fulton County tax assessor conducted the valuation. When they find several homes that meet those criteria and that show a higher value than your home, it can greatly improve the chance of having the new valuation approved.
Getting Help from a Property Tax Consultant
Is it possible to handle your appeals and property tax issues on your own? While it might be possible, it is a hassle that most homeowners simply do not want to deal with on their own. They have other things going on in their life that would make it next to impossible to make sure they are meeting the deadlines and coming up with solid evidence that the valuation needs to be changed on their home. It is faster and easier for homeowners to choose a property tax consultant when they are dealing with the Fulton County tax assessor’s office.
However, they do need to make sure they are working with a company or individual who has the knowledge and experience needed to handle these types of issues. When choosing a consultant, it is essential to look at how long they have been in the field, along with whether they have had any experience working with an assessor’s office in the past. You will also want to check to see what other types of services the company might offer, which you could use in the future. Take some time to peruse some of the options and then find the one that has the type of experience you need and the success rate that you deserve.
