Have you just received your Gwinnett County property assessment in the mail? You might be stressed out because your property taxes seem higher than they should be. There’s a decent chance that you are right with that thought. The National Taxpayers Union has estimated that nearly 60% of United States real estate is being assessed at a rate that is too high. But there are ways to protect yourself from overpayment and put a bit of that money back in your pocket.
Be Ready to Put in the Effort
It’s not easy or automatic to have your property taxes lowered. In fact, the burden of proof that you are paying too much is smack dab on you. However, you can find success, whether you choose to go it alone or bring in property tax consultants to assist you. The first thing to be aware of is that property taxes are assessed differently based on where you live. So, you’ll need to find out how it is done in your state and county. We’ll explain more about that process below.
Educate Yourself on the Process of Appeal
You will want to contact your local assessor’s office to get all of the information on how to appeal your property assessment. If you plan to go through this process, you will need to understand how it works, what information and forms you need to appeal, and who the appeal process works for. It is also important to be aware of when the filing deadline is. If you do not appeal before this point, you will have to wait another year to do so. You don’t want to let something that small get in the way of your appeal.
Look at Your Property Tax Records
When properties in Gwinnett County are assessed, they are put on a tax roll, which is a public document. You can visit your assessor’s office to get a copy of this document. You should also pick up your property tax card, as well. This will contain all of the information about your house, its value, and the property tax you should pay. The next step is to go over that document with a fine-toothed comb to determine if everything is correct. Look at the year of the house being built, the number of bathrooms, the number of bedrooms, the square footage, and the listed dimensions. If any items have been removed, like a fireplace or pool, make a note of that as well. If any of the information is wrong, you and your property tax consultants have a good chance of winning the appeal.
Look for Problems Outside Your Home
If you didn’t find anything amiss with the property tax card, you aren’t out of luck. There are other avenues you can take. Rather than proving something is wrong with the information they have, you may have grounds to prove that the location you are in has something wrong with it that would make your assessment drop. When something that is not on your property causes your value to go down, we call that external obsolescence. For example, if the nearest train tracks are nearly in your backyard or you can see the pilots in an aircraft as it takes off from a local airport, this can be made into a case. If the entire neighborhood has the same problem, you may have to go even deeper. Is there a reason that the problem is worse at your home? Then it only makes sense that your taxes should be lower than those around you.
Don’t Forget Problems Inside the Home
We just talked about external obsolescence in Gwinnett County, but there is also functional obsolescence. This pertains to issues in your own home or business. For instance, if you have to walk through a closet to get to the bathroom, that’s functional obsolescence. The same will apply if you have a five-bedroom home but only space for one car in your garage. Essentially, anything that makes your house a bit more peculiar to live in can qualify. They might make it harder to sell your home, but in the meantime, you can save on taxes.
Find What the Neighbors Are Paying
When you stop in to look at your property tax card as the Gwinnett County assessor’s office, you can also look at those of others in your neighborhood. Depending on when you bought your home, you might find that your bill is far off from that of a neighbor with a similar home. While doing your research, you can also look into what taxes were paid on houses that sold recently. If things seem like they don’t add up, this is another excellent reason for an appeal. Get with your property tax consultants and start building your case.
Filing the Actual Appeal
Once you’ve gathered all the documentation and evidence that you need, it’s time to send in your appeal. In most cases, you will do this by mail but choose whatever method is allowed and convenient for you. After you send in the information, you can expect to wait for a couple of months before you hear back with a decision. If you end up denied, there are other options you can take. Most notably you can have an in-person appeal as the next step.
For those who need assistance with filing an appeal or who are interested in further information on the topic, Fair Assessments LLC is here to help. Our website offers resources for you to peruse and we can help with some assessment appeals in the Southeastern United States. We’d be happy to speak with you about what your option are in Gwinnett County.
If you would like to speak to an expert, you can reach one at 404-618-0355 by phone, info@Fair-Assessments.com by email, or our contact form on our website. Someone will reach out to you as quickly as possible.
