Best Practices to Win Your Real Estate Tax Appeal in Clayton County

Posted by Daniel Jones on Aug 8, 2018 9:18:00 PM

Anyone who owns property in Clayton County is required to pay a certain amount in property taxes. However, you should never end up in a position where you pay more than what is your fair share. While the government will periodically assess properties and assign values to them, it isn’t always done correctly or completely.

If your property turns out to be assessed for much more than it is worth, you’re the one who ends up paying too much in property taxes. Sometimes the best thing you can do is seek out real estate tax services and appeal the value of your home to save money from here on out.

Appraisal vs. Assessment

When we mention assessments, this is not the same as an appraisal. Appraised value relates to the amount that is posted on an appraisal report for your property. This number takes into account the condition, location, and construction of your house. It also considers any sales of similar property in the same area. You can think of an appraisal value as the same as your property’s market value.

Rather than inspecting the features of each home in Clayton County, the government office instead has specific information about properties used to determine what the correct market multiplier is. Everything from the number of bedrooms in your home, the size of the lot it is on, and whether you own a garage will affect the value assessed. There is a specific tax rate applied to the assessed value to determine what you are required to pay.

Present the Appeal Based on a Mistake

In a case where an assessor makes a mistake (for instance, believing you have an acre of land when you have 1/10 of an acre) this is an easy thing to bring up for a quick appeal. The entire case relates to the fact that someone made a mistake and you are being asked to pay for it. If this is the situation you find yourself in, it is one of the most straightforward situations to rectify and move beyond.

Consider the Market with Your Appeal

When you work with a company offering real estate tax services, one of the first things done in an appeal case is determining your home’s value and comparing that to the assessed value. One way to do this involves speaking with a real estate agent to find homes similar to yours that have recently sold. If you see that the prices are significantly different, there’s a good chance that you are paying too much in property taxes. The next step is to hire an appraiser who can determine the specific value of your property. This information can then be used in your appeal.

Appeal Based on Neighborhood Homes

When you look at the homes mentioned above that were sold by a real estate agent, look at their tax assessments. For homes similar to your own, you should expect to see tax assessments that are close to what you pay. If this is not the case and you are paying much more, there is a good case for your assessment running too high. Sometimes it may be difficult to get this information, but your real estate agent may be able to help. If this isn’t possible, you may instead want to speak with the homeowners themselves. Even if it seems the assessments are close, it’s worth considering what makes the homes unique. This may allow you to make a case for lower assessments in your appeal.

Properly Filing an Appeal

There are a few steps in the process of filing an appeal. We’ll go over the steps below to give you an idea of what is required. While it may seem as if it is a lot of work, it can save you a lot of money and should be done whenever needed.

  • Write Down the Filing Deadline – You’ll get a letter that explains what your assessed home value is. In this same letter, you can expect to find information about how long you have to file an appeal. You want to take down this date, so you ensure you get things in order before the deadline. If you do not, there’s little you can do.
  • Visit the Clayton County Assessment Site – You will want to visit the assessment website to look over the process of appealing. This website will include forms and instructions to file your appeal. One of the things you want to have at hand for this part of the process if your property tax bill, which will state what your parcel number is.
  • Determine Any Required Major Repairs – If you have problems with your home such as cracked drywall, a leaky roof, or something else, make a note of that. Each of these things will make a difference in the valuation of your home. Take photos and write problems down in detail.
  • Fill Out and Send in the Form – Next, you want to file your appeal. You can find samples online if you aren’t sure how to go about the process. Include the information you found above and send in the letter. From there, it’s just a matter of waiting for a decision.

How Professionals Can Help

There is a lot that goes into appealing your real estate taxes, and for some people, the process is too complicated and time-consuming to take on alone. The good news is that this doesn’t mean you are out of luck. Companies that offer real estate tax services, such as Fair Assessments LLC, can do most of the hard work for you. These professionals can let you know if you have a case and what the process is expected to be to move forward.

If you are looking for more answers to your questions about real estate taxes, we’d be happy to help. You can reach us at Fair Assessments by calling 404-618-0355, email us at info@Fair-Assessments.com, or contact us online at any time.

Topics: Clayton County Tax

property tax appeals

Subscribe to our A Fair Shake Blog:

How Tax Assessors Use Sales to Value Property
HOW TAX ASSESSORS USE THE COST APPROACH TO VALUE PROPERTY
New call-to-action