Valuation Appeals - Should you Get Help?
Here is a list of the Possible Benefits:
1. Save yourself time and hassle.
2. Better chance of success with a good protest agent.
- able to verbally approach assessor’s office in an early meeting to present initial protest before submitting the formal written protest
- access to more market data to build the case
- knowledge of details of the individual properties used in comparative sales
- familiarity with past protests, best procedures, and the personalities involved
- my past success rate speaks for itself
3. An agent pulling for you gives you the “3rd Party Distance” you need from the assessor - you are no longer the complaining owner, and the agent becomes the representative who is defending the rights of the “wronged” owner.
4. An agent can evaluate whether you will be wasting your time making a protest doomed to fail or if you have a good case that shall save you plenty of tax money in the future.
Are the possible Tax Savings worth the following fees?
Fees are based on a $100 retainer plus variable bonuses depending on how much I get your valuation lowered (and thus your taxes lowered) and on how many further appeals you and I decide to make for your cause.
Projected Savings |
Fees for 1 Step Protest |
Fees for 2 Step Appeal |
Fees for 3 Step Appeals |
|
$100 + 20% |
$100 + 30% |
$100 + 40% |
$500 |
$200 |
$250 |
$300 |
$1,000 |
$300 |
$400 |
$500 |
$1,500 |
$400 |
$550 |
$700 |
$2,000 |
$500 |
$700 |
$900 |
$2,500 |
$600 |
$850 |
$1,100 |
$3,000 |
$700 |
$1,000 |
$1,300 |
$3,500 |
$800 |
$1,150 |
$1,500 |
$4,000 |
$900 |
$1,300 |
$1,700 |
$5,000 |
$1,100 |
$1,600 |
$2,100 |
Most protests are decided at the first step, and few go to the 2nd or 3rd appeals. If I lose the first protest and you decide to NOT go any further, you’re only expense is the $100 retainer. Only if I am successful for you do I get any additional bonus, and only if you decide to have me take it to the 2nd or 3rd appeal does my bonus get increased (and again there’s no bonus if I do not succeed for you!).
To evaluate if your Projected Tax Savings will be substantial enough to cover my fees and then still save you good money, please look at the Projected Tax Savings chart the document entitled: “Should I Protest?”
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