Even Big Commercial Properties Appeal Their Property Tax

If you have ever considered appealing your Gwinnett County property tax, you may think that it’s just not worth the hassle, or that your home’s value will be close enough to the assessor’s numbers anyway. One thing we hear often is that homeowners believe a home that is of obvious great value, with few things to prove it is of lower value than estimated, won’t be approved for a lower tax bill. But the fact is that even huge corporations with pricey commercial properties appeal their property tax – so why shouldn’t you? Just because your home in Gwinnett County is of excellent value, doesn’t mean the assessor didn’t over-value it.

Case Study: Disney’s Property Tax Battle

Almost every year, Disney sues the Orange County Circuit Court for charging them what they believe is far too much in property tax This year they are at it again. They claim that the assessor in the area values their properties too highly, and it causes them to pay out huge dividends in property tax. Within the span of a year, their property tax bill went from nearly $85 million to over $100 million – all because the assessor valued the property higher than they did the year before!

We’re talking about properties that are worth millions, perhaps billions, of dollars when estimated correctly and fairly. Anyone walking by can tell that the properties would sell for untold amounts of money on the market. So why should Disney think that they can prove their properties aren’t worth what the assessor says?

The fact is that even if a property is of very high value, it still shouldn’t be taxed at a rate that is too high. Regardless of whether or not Disney is correct, they are a great example of why appealing your property taxes can be important even for homeowners with high-value homes.

How to Appeal Your Gwinnett County Property Tax

In order to appeal your Gwinnett County property tax when you have a high-value home, you’ll mostly be relying on market data that shows what a home like yours could truly sell for. Since you won’t have proof that your home is of lower value through pictures of issues with the property, you’ll instead have to show that the market just wouldn’t support the numbers the assessor used. A good realtor could be your friend in this process.

Another thing you can do is to showcase the area around your home that could make it harder to sell. For example, was a busy highway recently re-routed to be a little closer to your home? Did a big commercial building just expand their headquarters, blocking the sun in your home for most of the hours of the day? These could be things that would impact how well your home would sell, which is what your property taxes are based on.

Find Home Exemptions

If you have a very high value home and you want to lower your tax bill, one thing you can do is focus on finding all the exemptions you can. There are quite a few home exemptions for personal property taxes. For example:

• Installing green energy features like solar panels can earn you a tax break on property taxes.
• If you grow crops for industrial agricultural use on your property, you can get tax breaks for property taxes. This same type of exemption could apply if you have a historic barn on your property, if you have a greenhouse, if you have a vineyard or an orchard, and so on.
• If you have a disability, you can get property tax exemptions.
• If you are a veteran, you can get property tax exemptions.
• If you are a senior citizen, you can get property tax exemptions.
• Some homeowners can get an exemption on property taxes based on their income. For example, some areas offer exemptions for homeowners that earn under $50,000 per year.
• If the property is used for a benevolent organization, an arts or science institute, or an athletic facility, it can be given property tax exemptions.
• If the property has a cemetery on it, there are exemptions you can claim.
• If the property is used for children’s services, like a home for pregnant women, or a non-profit club for kids, it could get an exemption.
• Homes provided to clergy members are often given a property tax exemption.
• If the property is used for conservation purposes, such as a wind farm, it could be given an exemption.
• If the property is co-op housing or some other civil service property, it could be given an exemption.
• If the building is located on forested property, it could be given an exemption.
• If the home is located in a low-income area, it could be given an exemption.
• If the home is for military personnel, there is a tax property exemption.
• If the home is a rent-controlled home, it can be exempt from certain property taxes.
• If the property houses a waterway or train tracks, it could be exempt from certain property taxes.
• If the property is used for public services, such as a library or a government building, it can be exempt.
• There may be property tax breaks for people living in certain school zones.

These are just a few of the long list of exemptions that you could find to help your tax bill go down.

To learn more, or to get professional help with a property tax appeal, contact Fair Assessment LLC at (404) 618-0355. It’s our goal to help you keep your money in your wallet, and we don’t think you should have to pay unfair tax rates just because your home is of high value. As you can see, even big companies like Disney fight against their property assessment, so there’s nothing shameful in trying to get taxed only what you should be taxed. Let us help you handle all the nitty gritty details of the appeals process today!