Dekalb Property Tax Appeal and Your Right to Information

Posted by Daniel Jones on Jan 27, 2020 9:49:00 AM

When you file a Dekalb property tax appeal, you should think of it as making your case in a court of law. You have to gather the evidence to support your proposed value for the subject real property so as to counter the Tax Assessor’s assessed value. Your evidence of which can consist of property cards, independent appraisals (i.e., use the appraisal from a recent refinancing plan), and comparable sales data.

Gathering the necessary evidence also means gathering information. You, as the property owner and taxpayer, have the right to collect information from government sources. Here’s where you can gather your evidence from public sources.

Property Tax Cards

Did you know that you can actually ask for photocopies of your property’s tax cards and your neighbors’ property tax cards? Yes, you can because it’s your right as a citizen in conjunction with your plan to file a Dekalb property tax appeal. You can ask for these photocopies with or without a formal request but you should be provided with them as soon as possible, so as to meet the 45-day deadline for filing appeals.

When checking your property tax card, you should be on the lookout for errors in its entries. You must then have basic information about your real property so that you can make comparisons. You should check for the following information:

  • Classification, either residential or commercial, since the tax rates will vary
  • Size and location, such as the square footage of the land and house itself
  • Number of bathrooms and bedrooms since these have an impact on fair market value
  • Type of structure because a one-story home will be valued differently from a two-story home
  • Age of the original structure and its purchase price (i.e., price paid by the current owner)
  • Types of improvements stated
  • Restrictions, defects and functional obsolescence
  • Applicable deductions, such as homestead exemptions, senior citizen deductions, and military exemptions

Basically, you want to find errors that will have an impact on your property’s fair market value and, thus, the assessed value. You should inform the Tax Assessor about the errors you have seen since these can be corrected even without need for a formal appeal.

You should also check your neighbor’s property tax cards but look at them with a different perspective. You must check whether the tax assessors valued your neighbor’s property in the same manner as yours. 

Under House Bill 202, you can interview an authorized representative of the Board of Assessors in conjunction with your appeal. You can record the interview, ask the relevant questions, and use the words of the representative during the hearing. You must then be well-prepared for the interview by drafting your questions first so that nothing is left to chance.

You can ask questions like the methodology used by the tax assessor in the determination of your property’s fair market value, among others. You’re well-advised to ask your tax consultant about the possible questions – or better yet, let your tax reduction consultant conduct the interview while you listen.

In the end, your chances for a winning Dekalb property tax appeal will partly depend on the quantity and quality of relevant and reliable information you have gathered to back up your case. Contact Fair Assessments, LLC now!

Topics: dekalb property tax appeal

property tax appeals

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