Every year in DeKalb County, real estate assessment notices get mailed to homeowners in either late May or early June. Among the other information contained on this assessment will be a listing of the fair market value of your home.
In the event that you should disagree with that value, you have exactly 45 days to file an appeal. Doing so can save you a considerable amount of money on your property taxes, though this process does require you to keep a few key things in mind.
DeKalb County Real Estate Tax Appeals: An Overview
One of the most important things to understand about this process is that when you write your letter of appeal, you'll need to include a few important pieces of information.
In addition to the parcel ID number that is printed on your annual assessment notice, you'll also need to include your property address, your daytime phone number and any documentation at all that you have to support why you think the listed value is wrong.
You'll also need to specify which method of appeal you want to pursue. You can choose from going through the Board of Equalization, having a meeting in front of a hearing officer, or going through nonbinding arbitration.
Note that if your appeal hasn't actually been finalized by the time tax bills are mailed out, you will get a bill based on a temporary value. You do have to pay the bill in its entirety or you risk getting hit with penalties and interest. Having said that, don't worry - any difference between the temporary value and the eventual assessed value will be refunded to you. Interest is capped at $150 for properties that are exempt from the homestead credit and $5,000 for other types of homes.
Going through a DeKalb County real estate tax appeal is a very precise and delicate process - meaning that it's one you shouldn't feel obligated to go through alone. It's important for you to know that there are people who are willing to pick up the cause on your behalf, and the team at Fair Assessments are chief among them. Over the years we've developed relationships with all of the right people and know how to see this process through to a satisfying conclusion - all so that you can rest easy knowing that your needs have been taken care of.
So to find out more information about what it takes to successfully complete a DeKalb County real estate tax appeal, or to learn more about any related topics you may have more questions about, please don't hesitate to contact Fair Assessments today.
