Have the feeling that your Gwinnett County property tax is higher than it should be? It’s entirely possible that you are right. Many properties in Georgia and beyond are assessed for more than they are currently worth. However, the good news is that if you are being assessed at a rate too high, there are options. If you file an appeal with the local government, you have every chance of winning and dropping the amount of property taxes that are due.
Deciding Whether to Appeal or Not
If you have a concern that you are being charged too much on your Gwinnett County property tax, it’s almost always worth going through with the appeal. There’s no penalty for choosing to appeal even if you are rejected. The only problem would be if your home turns out to be worth more than expected in which case your taxes could actually increase. However, that’s an unlikely situation. If it isn’t the case, appealing your taxes has a few steps involved.
Understanding How Your Gwinnett County Property Tax is Determined
The truth is that most people have no idea how property taxes work. Most individuals get their bill and pay it without thinking much more about it. The most important thing to understand is that the value of your property determines how much you pay in property taxes.
That means you need to determine if the assessment for your property fairly represents the market value of your home. If that turns out not to be the case, you’re already well on your way to reducing your assessment to receive a reduced Gwinnett County property tax.
Look Over Your Information
In order to consider appealing the decision about your tax assessment, you need to know what information is being used. This information can be found at your local tax assessor’s office. There are a few things to verify once you have access to the information about your property:
- Square Footage – Check if the amount of square footage noted is correct. If it is larger than it should be, this gives you an immediate reason to appeal the assessment.
- Amenities – Things like sheds, in-ground pools, and fencing are considered amenities. If you have removed any of these items from your home, this is another good reason to claim an adjustment.
- Zoning – Take a look at the way your home is zoned when looking over the information at the assessor’s office. If there is a utility easement, conservation, or drainage that lowers the buildable area of your property, that should be noted.
Consider What Others Nearby Pay on Their Gwinnett County Property Tax
In order to win an appeal, you need to have an idea of what those in houses similar to yours are paying in taxes. Look for homes in your area that have sold in the recent past and see what they went for. You can also work with a real estate agent to have comps or comparisons pulled. Keep in mind that these homes need to be similar in size and neighborhood or the information may not be helpful during your appeal.
If it turns out that your property is being assessed at a higher amount than nearby properties, you want to have proof of that. Having access to the tax cards and sales records for five similar homes that have sold in the last year is the best bet.
Think About Having an Appraisal Done
This can be a lot of complicated information and it may seem impossible to do it all on your own. You don’t have to. There are property tax appeal services and real estate appraisers who can offer some help in your appeal process. In many cases, the professionals are able to offer expert opinions on your property value to help lower your Gwinnett County property tax.
Be Aware of When and How to Appeal
If you find that something is off with your assessment, such as your house being listed at 5,000 square feet instead of 3,000 feet, you have to know what to do to have that corrected. Every state and even certain areas in the state may have their own appeal dates. There are also differences in terms of who you should appeal to. While some areas have regional or local tax boards, Gwinnett County property taxes are handled by the county.
What Happens After Appealing Your Gwinnett County Property Tax
Most of your time after the appeal is going to be spend waiting. You can expect to be a letter in the mail that notes your appeal as received which lets you know when you can expect a decision to be made. Up until this point occurs, if you come across additional evidence to support the appeal, you can provide it.
You might think that once you get a decision that you’re done, but there are a few ways that things can do. In the best-case scenario, the assessors will decide you were right and your value will be revised down. If that’s the case, you’re good to go.
On the other hand, if your appeal is denied, you have your own set of options. You can choose to take the rejection and move on or you can go through another process that is more formal. This involves appearing before a board to show your case.
Getting the Help You Need
Filing an appeal is something that can be overwhelming, even if you’re sure that your Gwinnett County property tax should be lower. There is a large amount of work that goes into everything to process your appeal in a successful way. The good news is there are people out there who can help you.
Fair Assessments, LLC can take a look at your case and give you answers to any questions you might have. We will do the work to ensure you have the best chance of winning your appeal. You can visit our website to gain more information about what your options are.
