It seemed like a routine property appraisal for a bankruptcy case. But after the residential appraiser took a look at our client’s house in Allegheny County, it was apparent this was anything but routine.
Our client’s home was over-assessed by quite a bit. They have been paying too much in property taxes for too long, and they are not alone.
We have been doing some research on properties in selected areas of Allegheny County and are finding that many property owners have not taken advantage of their annual opportunity to correct the assessed value of their homes. There are a number of reasons why a property owner has not challenged their assessments, ranging from not being aware they are paying too much in taxes, to believing they can no longer file an appeal, to not having the time to pursue the issue, or simply not believing they can win an appeal.
It’s time to take steps to correct the assessment mistakes.
Property owners in Allegheny County have until March 31 to file a formal assessment appeal, and this window is open annually. Just because the county conducted a reassessment project in 2012 does not mean you can’t appeal your property value in 2016, or any year. You just have to file the one-page form by March 31.
Homeowners in Washington County are scheduled to start receiving property assessment statements in the mail around March 10. The mailings are expected to be divided into four groups, with commercial properties the last to be delivered. Washington County property owners will need to take a long look at their assessment and to see if their residential or commercial real estate has been correctly evaluated.
If you have questions about the value of your property and its assessment, and are wondering if you have been paying too much in real estate taxes, give us a call at Steidl and Steinberg for a free evaluation of your case. Don’t let the window close on your opportunity.