Anybody in CA successfully decreased their property tax?

[Maximus96]

I got two letters from different companies yesterday telling me they can lower my property tax because the value of my house has dropped. It?s no surprise to me that my house value dropped. According to zillow.com, it dropped about $65k from when we bought it in June of 06 right before the prices plummeted. Has anybody ever employed these companies? One wants $400 up front and the other wants $100. They both guarantee that I will pay nothing if my property tax is not reduced. I tried to google property tax appeal and it looks like a lot of work to get the tax reduced. I?m wondering if I should pay somebody to do it for me. Anybody successful in doing that on their own or thru a company of some sort?

thanks

 

[SearchMaster]

We had ours reduced (in Georgia) several years ago and it was a breeze. They had appraised a property that we bought for $10K, and was worth maybe $20K, for $100K. We went down the the courthouse, filled out a paper, then got a revised appraisal for $30K.

The tax wasn't that much relatively speaking and we didn't want to go through the formal process of going in front of the county board, so we left it alone and accepted the revised assessment.

 

[Toasthead]

Yes. There is a form you can fill out. Check with your local county assessors office. I was able to get a 100k price reduction.

 

[meltdown75]

I thought your assessment only changed in California if there was a sale on your property? Some bill from the 1970s? I forget the name of it.

You can't blame tax agents for trying to get your business, they have to put food on the table too, but don't think for a second that they really care whether or not you are paying too much property tax. Without people wanting to fight their property taxes, they would be out of a job... that said, in my experience, it is worth at least contacting your local assessment authority yourself - without assistance from a settlement-hungry tax agent that is going to act as your "representative" - to see if anything short of an appeal can address your concerns. Many assessment agencies in Canada and the US have framework in place to resolve concerns that might not pertain to the issue going forward to a formal appeal. For instance, perhaps there is an error in the actual data that could be easily corrected.

The other angle to consider is that these agents usually have relationships with the assessment staff, which could be a positive or negative depending on how you look at it. good luck...

 

[Toasthead]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
I thought your assessment only changed in California if there was a sale on your property? Some bill from the 1970s? I forget the name of it.

You can't blame tax agents for trying to get your business, they have to put food on the table too, but don't think for a second that they really care whether or not you are paying too much property tax. Without people wanting to fight their property taxes, they would be out of a job... that said, in my experience, it is worth at least contacting your local assessment authority yourself - without assistance from a settlement-hungry tax agent that is going to act as your "representative" - to see if anything short of an appeal can address your concerns. Many assessment agencies in Canada and the US have framework in place to resolve concerns that might not pertain to the issue going forward to a formal appeal. For instance, perhaps there is an error in the actual data that could be easily corrected.

The other angle to consider is that these agents usually have relationships with the assessment staff, which could be a positive or negative depending on how you look at it. good luck...

Heres the information from the Sac County's assessors office:

Decline in Value Reassessments

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: Toasthead

Originally posted by: meltdown75
I thought your assessment only changed in California if there was a sale on your property? Some bill from the 1970s? I forget the name of it.

You can't blame tax agents for trying to get your business, they have to put food on the table too, but don't think for a second that they really care whether or not you are paying too much property tax. Without people wanting to fight their property taxes, they would be out of a job... that said, in my experience, it is worth at least contacting your local assessment authority yourself - without assistance from a settlement-hungry tax agent that is going to act as your "representative" - to see if anything short of an appeal can address your concerns. Many assessment agencies in Canada and the US have framework in place to resolve concerns that might not pertain to the issue going forward to a formal appeal. For instance, perhaps there is an error in the actual data that could be easily corrected.

The other angle to consider is that these agents usually have relationships with the assessment staff, which could be a positive or negative depending on how you look at it. good luck...

Heres the information from the Sac County's assessors office:

Decline in Value Reassessments

Wow talk about a different system than we have here in Ontario (Canada). An elected official? ehhe! I really dig the banner too... "ASSESSOR"... LOL!!!!

I liked this link more, pertains directly to the OP's question:

http://www.assessor.saccounty...._ASR_DF_No_Fee_Service

 

[compman25]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
I thought your assessment only changed in California if there was a sale on your property? Some bill from the 1970s? I forget the name of it.

You can't blame tax agents for trying to get your business, they have to put food on the table too, but don't think for a second that they really care whether or not you are paying too much property tax. Without people wanting to fight their property taxes, they would be out of a job... that said, in my experience, it is worth at least contacting your local assessment authority yourself - without assistance from a settlement-hungry tax agent that is going to act as your "representative" - to see if anything short of an appeal can address your concerns. Many assessment agencies in Canada and the US have framework in place to resolve concerns that might not pertain to the issue going forward to a formal appeal. For instance, perhaps there is an error in the actual data that could be easily corrected.

The other angle to consider is that these agents usually have relationships with the assessment staff, which could be a positive or negative depending on how you look at it. good luck...

Prop 13

 

[BoomerD]

It's happening here left & right as property values plummet.

The county expects to lose over $5 million in taxes this year because of it.

 

[MotionMan]

Don't waste your money - You can do it yourself.

Get ahold of the forms from the assessor's office.

I am going to look into it, too, except I got such a great deal on my house, I am not sure if it will benefit me much.

MotionMan