When purchasing a home or other property in Gwinnett County, many people don't take a long view of their investment. They are focused on making sure they're able to afford their monthly mortgage payment. Some might even go so far as to estimate their utility costs and build that into their budgets. Fewer think ahead about those occasional or yearly fees, such as maintenance and real estate taxes, that are part of every homeowner's responsibility.
The Impact of Tax Assessment Time
Being unprepared for tax assessments in Gwinnett County often results in an unexpected bill that you, as a homeowner, did not work into your budget. To add insult to injury, the real estate assessment could be far higher than you think is fair. This could add to the stress of being a homeowner instead of allowing you to focus on the many benefits of purchasing your own property.
Tax Assessment and Your Rights
Each year in Gwinnett County, officials assess each property in their jurisdiction. Because this is a daunting job considering the sheer number of properties that are located in Gwinnett County, a mass appraisal process is used.
Though it's is designed to save the county time and resources, this process routinely returns unreliable data. The result is the homeowners frequently receive tax assessments that are inaccurate and too high. There is nearly always room for adjustment which can save you money.
Because of the unreliability of the data tax assessors use, Georgia tax law provides property owners with the right to challenge these values. This process is called a property tax appeal.
It involves gathering copious amounts of data to back up your claim of an inaccurate tax assessment. This could be related to the values of similar properties in your area as well as the prices of those comparable homes that have sold recently in Gwinnett County. You'll also need to highlight how your home differs from those homes and how those differences reduce the value of your home.
How Real Estate Tax Consultants Can Help
Choosing the right real estate tax consultants means you can turn the tax assessment appeals process over to the experts. Not only does this professional file the appeal on your behalf, but they also complete the necessary research to support your case for a lower property value. In addition, they provide you with representation during formal hearings, negotiations with county staff and other meetings related to your case.
At Fair Assessments, we bring nearly 30 years of focused experience in the valuation services industry. We are a full-service property tax reduction firm and have a proven success rate that caps your taxable value for three years. Contact us today to learn more.
