Step by step guide to challenging your property tax bill.

Preparation:
1) Check the property information on the property tax bill you are sent every year. The items to review include the address, lot size, square footage, when built, and number of rooms. You need to note the appraised value of the property. If that information is not on your property tax bill, then you can search your local tax assessor authority's website or even call the property tax office for your home's appraised value.

2) If you expect a tax exemption, you need to compare any listed tax exemptions that you think you qualify for with what is listed on the property tax bill. Tax exemptions will vary depending on your exact location, but you can also find this information on your local tax assessor authority's website, or by calling them. Make note of any differences that you find for presentation later.

3) It is very important to examine property values or any sales prices for similar homes in your area. You can find this information from a local realtor, or this can also be found using your local property tax assessor’s website. Or always stop by the assessors office. This property information is public, so the information is available to you and all property owners.

4) Once you have the information on homes similar to yours, you need to analyze the appraised value of your home compared to those similar properties that you have researched. Any sizeable difference in property tax bills due between these properties should be noted and prepared as evidence in presenting your case and when challenging your property tax bill.
You should compare the same items as indicated in step 1 above, such as square footage, lot size, number of rooms, etc. Things to look for include if two houses have the same square footage, are the same age, number of rooms, etc, but your home is assessed at a higher rate and has a higher property tax bill. That is something you can challenge. You can also consider hiring an independent appraiser to assess the value of your property, which will give you further supporting evidence.

5) Decide if there is enough of a difference in the appraised value of your home, and what you have discovered when reviewing similar properties. If you decide the difference in the property tax bills is great enough, and the amount of that difference is totally up to you and also depends on your property value, then go ahead and contest your property taxes. (Some owners will contest their property tax bill if the difference is only a couple thousand dollars.) Also, definitely go ahead and contest the property taxes if you find an exception error. Find what percent of property tax appeals are successful.

Contesting your property taxes:
1) Review your property tax bill for those dates in which appraisals can be contested. Or you can call your local tax assessor's office to get this information if it is not on your property tax bill.

2) Find out if your local jurisdiction will allow informal, or formal reviews. If your area allows informal reviews, you should schedule a time for an informal review with your assessor first. Be sure to call or fill out any paper work for a formal review if an informal review is not allowed.

3) Prepare all of your collected documentation from the steps above. Organize it in a way that will allow you to present the most important details first, such as the information regarding your property and comparable properties. The time that you will be given to present your case is typically limited.

4) Show up on time, be very respectful, and be prepared for your meeting, whether it is formal or informal. Present your research and materials and you need to share copies of it with whomever you meet.

5) Wait for the answer on any informal request that you may have gone through to lower your property taxes. If you haven't heard back on your informal request, you can go ahead and file the formal request forms if the deadline is rapidly approaching. The property tax office should contact you with a formal presentation date.

6) As mentioned above, arrive on time to any formal review as well. Many areas have some type of appraisal review board that you'll be presenting your case to. Do not be intimidated. These boards are use to seeing all types of people present, and you do not need to be a public speaker to present your case/challenge. Your local tax assessor will also present the documentation that was used in your original property tax assessment. Again, be concise, respectful, and professional in your meetings.

7) Be on the lookout for a letter indicating whether your property tax assessment challenge has been approved and how much your property tax bill will be lowered. If you are unhappy with the decision, some states will allow you to appeal the ruling by the review board to a district court. However, action such as this is best done under a lawyer's guidance.

Tens of thousands of homeowners contest their property tax bills every year. You should not be afraid or intimidated to this process. That being said, if you are uncomfortable with this process for any reason, you can always hire a professional property tax consultant or a real estate agent to contest your property taxes. You should do your best to find someone who will only charge you if they are successful.