Taxes grieved successfully but still screwed

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

We grieved our real estate taxes last year because the value of our home was lower than what the town was estimating. We won the grievance, and they lowered the value of our home by approx. $40,000. The estimated difference in the taxes was $400/year. We paid the service who filed the claim around $300 for their work, which was fine. Well, our tax bill arrived last week, and the taxes went up about $200. I looked to see if they applied the new value. They did, in fact, lower the value of the house, but applied a tax rate of 0.77% to it vs. last year's tax rate of .73%. The assessed value is exactly the same by applying the new rate. I called my mother and her rate was 0.77% also, so they are not targeting only those who grieved, but I think this was a creative accounting method so that the town did not have to take a hit from all the successful grievances. I guess my taxes would have gone up $600/year had we not grieved.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

It's a zero sum game. If the budget is fixed and all the properties go down by 50%, everyone's rate goes up by 50%. The only way to lower your taxes is if the budgets are cut dramatically. Unfortunately, whenever citizens clamor for budget cuts, they tend to cut stuff we want and need as opposed to waste and fraud.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I don't believe I have ever heard of property taxes being grieved. Maybe it's just the area of the country.

Here we would dispute them or protest them.

I did that on ours here several years ago. Shur nuf, the assessor saw an error and all the houses on our side of the neighborhood got some relief.

I'm still waiting for the thank yous.

[odaddy Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close odaddy]

It's a zero sum game. If the budget is fixed and all the properties go down by 50%, everyone's rate goes up by 50%. The only way to lower your taxes is if the budgets are cut dramatically. Unfortunately, whenever citizens clamor for budget cuts, they tend to cut stuff we want and need as opposed to waste and fraud.

You nailed it, cut 911, use the money for stuff the people will never vote for, and have them vote new funding for 911

[PHILL12 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PHILL12]

I did nothing and our county sent notice that they were checking all homes and would let us know what happens.

Couple months ago our taxes drop from about $2500 every six months to about $1800 every six months. Our value changed from $445,000 to $293,000 and we didn't need to pay some company to do it and we had many offers by mail and phone.

I think our taxes are based on the Prop 13 rule of years ago here in California but don't remember the information because this was so long ago.

PHILL12

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

It's a zero sum game. If the budget is fixed and all the properties go down by 50%, everyone's rate goes up by 50%. The only way to lower your taxes is if the budgets are cut dramatically. Unfortunately, whenever citizens clamor for budget cuts, they tend to cut stuff we want and need as opposed to waste and fraud.

So true but what else do you expect? We are promised the moon but someone has to pay for it so taxes are raised one way or the other.

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

I did nothing and our county sent notice that they were checking all homes and would let us know what happens.

Couple months ago our taxes drop from about $2500 every six months to about $1800 every six months. Our value changed from $445,000 to $293,000 and we didn't need to pay some company to do it and we had many offers by mail and phone.
I think our taxes are based on the Prop 13 rule of years ago here in California but don't remember the information because this was so long ago.

PHILL12

Good point. Don't know if it is required in other states such as Jackio's...but in California-you can do it yourself ...in my county-right from the website. Please don't pay anyone to do something you can do yourself. I did it and my value was lowered as well-it may have come automatically due to the drastic decline in property values-but I wanted to push it along.

Sorry your relief was not more substantial Jackio

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Taxes on timeshares are usually based on the sales price, so there is a great possibility that they can be protested successfully should management choose to do so. I did pressure management to do so at one timeshare I owned and the taxes were cut in half when they did.

City and town budgets are often helped by state revenue sharing, but in the current environment those funds are shrinking and taxes need to be increased. I think that if the 3 guys that watch the other guy do all the work on local and state crews had their jobs eliminated- taxes might be held at current levels or dropped for a few years.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Taxes on timeshares are usually based on the sales price, so there is a great possibility that they can be protested successfully should management choose to do so. I did pressure management to do so at one timeshare I owned and the taxes were cut in half when they did.

City and town budgets are often helped by state revenue sharing, but in the current environment those funds are shrinking and taxes need to be increased. I think that if the 3 guys that watch the other guy do all the work on local and state crews had their jobs eliminated- taxes might be held at current levels or dropped for a few years,

You are so right. I had to go to a smaller room once in a Government office and one person was reading the paper, the other one was napping at his desk and I had to sit and wait for the only person that seemed to be working. I couldn't believe my eyes.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

In my town you are able to grieve the taxes on your own, but the process is tedious and usually involves an initial denial then an appeal. I felt the fee was worth it, but am disappointed in the ultimate results.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Here we would dispute them or protest them.

Or appeal them, although when I googled it I see the official word in some areas is to grieve them.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

I thought the grieving usually comes after the bill is received.

Or appeal them, although when I googled it I see the official word in some areas is to grieve them.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

I thought the grieving usually comes after the bill is received.

Well I guess that is what I am doing now

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Good point. Don't know if it is required in other states such as Jackio's...but in California-you can do it yourself ...in my county-right from the website. Please don't pay anyone to do something you can do yourself. I did it and my value was lowered as well-it may have come automatically due to the drastic decline in property values-but I wanted to push it along.

Sorry your relief was not more substantial Jackio

We can do it on our own here, too. But the services that file them on taxpayer's behalf have relationships with the town/county attorneys, they settle the cases in bulk, and don't charge unless some relief is obtained. They usually charge about half of the first year's savings. But Jacki got caught in a common situation around here. As the assessed values are going down, the tax rates are going up, for the exact reason Boca stated -- the fees paid for services - roads, garbage, etc... don't go down with assessed values.

And you can still file a grievance and may well get a settlement based on the claim that your property is overassessed, regardless of what the larger municipality has assessed it at --

Sorry, Jacki - very frustrating!