Property Tax Assessments in Georgia & Alabama
Most homeowners take their property tax bill at face value, believing that their local government is accurately assessing their home values. Unfortunately, assessing a property’s value isn’t always black and white. In fact, experts suggest that as many as one-third of all U.S. homes are still being valued too highly. This is especially true for less wealthy counties in Western Georgia and Eastern Alabama.
An unfair property tax assessment might be putting you hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of pocket each year. Do you believe your tax assessment is incorrect? Waldrep, Mullin, and Callahan can help you challenge an unfair assessment.
How to Challenge a Property Tax Assessment
There isn’t always a clear-cut path to getting your property taxes lowered - especially since tax assessments vary from county to county. The first step to getting your property taxes lowered requires challenging your county assessor's estimate of your property.
Your assessor will use a variety of information to make his or her judgment of your property value, including the size,
After reviewing your property details, you can challenge the assessment based on the market value of your property. To do this, your home will be compared to similar properties in the area. Note the time when the market value assessment is made. If there is a sudden swing in the market, your property price could decrease substantially after your assessment. If you’re able to prove that the market value of your property has dropped, you’ll be eligible for a reduction in your tax bill.
At Waldrep, Mullin, and Callahan there are three main ways we can attest your appraisal and tax assessment in Columbus,
● First, we can speak to your county assessor to request that your case is reviewed. During this time, we will make sure the assessor is aware of any specific errors and factors that could make you eligible for a reduction in your property taxes.
● If your county assessor’s office denies the request and stands by the original appraisal of your property, we can file for an examination by the Board of Equalization. The Board of Equalization is a panel of people that will examine your property, having the power to overrule your county assessor.
● If the board chooses to support the local assessor’s appraisal, we will then appeal to the Superior Court to challenge the assessment judicially.
At Waldrep, Mullin, and Callahan, our experienced attorneys have the knowledge to appraise your property, in order to successfully counter the assessor’s evaluation.
Our Success with Tax Appraisals in Columbus, GA & Beyond
Our firm has successfully represented many property tax assessment cases in the middle Georgia area. We represented the Columbus Housing Authority against unfair tax assessments. We successfully challenged Section 8 entitlements to tax exemptions against the Board of Equalization, then in the Superior Court. We used a similar method to challenge tax assessments for a nationally recognized apartment conglomerate.
Our firm also represented the Nature Conservancy with unfair tax assessments. In this case, we challenged Tax Assessor’s denial of a charitable tax exemption, which we appealed to the Board of Equalization, then prevailed at the Superior Court level forever establishing the Nature Conservancy’s entitlement to a charitable tax exemption in Muscogee County.
At Waldrep, Mullin, and Callahan, we believe that the taxpayer deserves justice, and we want to help you save money by only paying taxes on fair assessments of your property.
