Should I Appeal a Property Tax Assessment? A How-to Guide

Property tax assessments aren’t always accurate. Thanks to rising property values, many landlords are hit with inflated tax bills—even when their property’s assessed value doesn’t reflect reality.

If you arrived here wondering if you should appeal a property tax assessment, realize that everyone’s situation is different, and a simple dispute won’t always get you the best results. To maximize your appeal’s success, you’ll need to go beyond the basics.

In this guide, we’ll teach you when and how to appeal property taxes, understand key mistakes assessors make, and help you leverage technology to streamline the entire process.

Why You Should Appeal a Property Tax Assessment: The Hidden Costs of Overvaluation

Many landlords assume that rising property values are a good thing—and they are when you’re selling. But when it comes to property taxes, a higher assessment means more money out of your pocket.

Common Reasons to Appeal

• Overvaluation: The Assessor overestimated your property’s worth.
• Unequal assessments: Similar properties in your area are valued lower.
• Incorrect property details: The Assessor miscalculated your property’s square footage, number of units, or other features.
• Market shifts: Your property’s value dropped after the assessment.
• Clerical errors: Calculation mistakes or double billing inflated your tax bill.

Most landlords overpay in property taxes simply because they never challenge their assessments. But appealing takes time and effort unless, of course, you have a surefire strategy in place to do this properly.

How to Appeal Property Tax Assessments

A basic appeal might lower your tax bill, but applying advanced tactics can maximize your savings. Here’s our expert take on how to appeal property taxes:

Step 1: Leverage Professional Property Appraisals

While you can submit comparables (comps) from recent sales, a third-party appraisal carries more weight. If your appraisal shows a lower valuation, the Assessor is more likely to reconsider your tax bill.

Best practice: Hire an independent property appraiser before filing your appeal.

Step 2: Use Market Trends to Strengthen Your Case

Most assessors rely on outdated data, meaning their valuation may not reflect recent market shifts. Gather reports showing how prices in your area have changed since the last assessment.

Best practice: Highlight declining demand, rising vacancies, or economic downturns that impact valuation.

Step 3: Document Property-Specific Issues

Assessors may assume your property is in perfect condition—but they often don’t know the whole story. Your property may be overvalued if it has significant wear and tear, foundation issues, or outdated infrastructure.

Best practice: Submit photos and contractor estimates showing costly repairs needed to justify a lower valuation.

Step 4: File Your Appeal Strategically

Many tax appeal boards have higher approval rates for appeals filed early or late in the season when they have fewer cases to review.

Best practice: Research your local deadline and time your appeal when the Assessor is less overwhelmed.

Step 5: Challenge the Assessment Methodology

Assessors use different methods to determine property value, including:

• Sales comparison approach: Based on recent property sales in your area.
• Income approach: Evaluates revenue potential for investment properties.
• Cost approach: Calculates the cost to rebuild the property.

The Assessor may have unfairly inflated your tax bill if they applied the incorrect method.

Best practice: Request complete documentation on how the Assessor calculated your property’s value, then dispute any methodology errors.

When You SHOULDN’T Appeal a Property Tax Assessment

While appealing can save you money, there are times when it’s best to hold off on appealing a property tax assessment:

• Lack of supporting evidence: Your case is weak if you can’t prove overvaluation.
• Small increase in taxes: The time and effort may not be worth the potential savings.
• Recent property improvements: Your valuation may be fair if you recently renovated or expanded your property.
• Under-assessed property: If your property’s valuation seems low, appealing could lead to a tax hike.

How to Simplify the Appeal Process (Without Doing the Work Yourself)

Properly appealing a property tax assessment is time-consuming and will require you to conduct heavy research, fill out significant paperwork, and meet strict deadlines. And if you own multiple properties or live out of state, doing so will be even more challenging.

This is where Ownwell steps in.

Ownwell handles the entire appeal process for you—no paperwork, no hassle.

• Find out if you’re overpaying with a free tax analysis.
• Ownwell files the appeal on your behalf—you won’t lift a finger.
• No upfront costs—you only pay if you save.

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Final Thoughts: Streamline Your Property Tax Assessment with the Proper Tools

A successful property tax appeal requires more than just filing a dispute—it takes a data-driven approach, timing, and expertise.

If you’re managing multiple properties and want to know if and how you should appeal a property tax assessment, let Ownwell dive in and handle the entire process for you.

See if you qualify and start saving today. 

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