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