If you have been hit with a big Florida property tax bill, you are probably interested in the appeals process that is available to you. You can prove that your home shouldn’t be taxed as highly as the government claims, but to do so, you’ll have to show that your home’s value was unfairly assessed.
How Are Home Values Assessed?
In Florida, property tax assessors will use things like average market values of homes of your neighborhood, as well as estimated value of certain upgrades or features that your home has, to determine what your home might sell for on the market. As you can see, this often involves some educated guesswork, which is why homeowners have the right to appeal. But how do you prove that your home isn’t worth what they say it is?
Take Pictures
If there are any parts of your property that aren’t in good shape, be sure to document them in photos. These should be permanent features of the home that would impact how well it sells, rather than things that would leave with you should you move out. Additionally, take pictures of areas around your property that could make it harder to sell the property, like a sewer plant or smelly farm nearby, or a big commercial property right over yours that blocks the view.
Print Out a Google Earth Image
Another thing you can use as proof that your property value should be assessed lower is satellite images from Google Earth. You can use these to showcase the busy highway that is nearby that makes a lot of noise, or the fact that your home is only a few blocks away from an undesirable area.
Get a Realtor’s Help
One thing that many assessors do is use outdated information on home sales in your area. Yes, a home next to yours may have sold for six figures a few decades ago – but if it hasn’t been updated since then, chances are the value is much lower now. But the assessor will just go based on that sale information. A realtor can provide you with accurate market value information for your area, based on specific details about the houses around you.
Keep the Proof Short and Sweet
When you present your proof to the appraisers who judge whether your property tax is too high, it should be straightforward, to the point, and concise. These appraisers sit with dozens upon dozens of homeowners every day doing the same thing, and they are often tired of hearing drawn out stories about property values. Just present the evidence you have and you are more likely to gain their favor by making it easy for them to get down to the details.
An expert property assessment professional can help. At Fair Assessment, LLC, we aim to keep your Florida property taxes fair and affordable. Contact us to learn more by calling our office at (404) 618-0355.
