| With the increasing value of your home comes the | | | | listed? Is the lot size corect? |
| increasing bill from your property taxes. | | | | There are things that will lower the value of your |
| Property tax collections have increased 35% from | | | | home. If you point out these details, you may find that |
| 2002 to 2006, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. | | | | your home will be assessed lower. |
| With high property taxes pressuring the budgets of | | | | In general, you usually have between 60 to 90 days to |
| many homeowners, consumer backlash has been | | | | contest a new tax assessment. Few homeowners will |
| seen across the nation. At least 15 states currently | | | | actually contest, but as many as 70% who do find an |
| have tax-cut proposals in the owrks, according to the | | | | error that gives them a lower tax bill. |
| National Taxpayers Union. | | | | First, go directly to the assessor. Bring with you |
| If you have found that your property taxes have | | | | evidence that shows your assessment may be wrong. |
| increased, you may be able to take action. Look | | | | "There are two types of low-hanging fruit," said AHA |
| closely at how your property was valued. The | | | | president Richard Roll. "One is mechanical errors |
| American Homeowners Association reports taht | | | | where they say you have a heated basement and it's |
| approximately 60% of homes are assessed too high. | | | | not. The other is errors of judgement, where they |
| Look at your assessment to make sure that all the | | | | assume your property is like someone else's. |
| details are correct. Are the right number of rooms | | | | |