Property tax, filing an appeal

[The Old Jaybird]

UPDATE.....Gwinnett County.....I have an older, very basic starter home in Lawrenceville that was built in 1975, we lived there from 1988 to 2013, my son lives there currently.
My value was 60k in 2012 and 2013, county wanted 83.5k in 2014, I appealed and BOE reduced value to 73.9K for 2014-2016, then county wanted 137k for 2017....all of these values on the same basic house with no improvements, other than a new roof in 2012.

They wanted a 90+% increase from 73.9k to 137K in one year. I filed an appeal and a return to the county for 84.4k...basically a 10k increase after being "frozen" for 3 years.
The county came back with a revised value of 125.5k. Had a BOE hearing in July and it was further reduced to 121.3k. Still not good enough for me. Indicated that I would appeal to Superior Court, law requires an intervention meeting between the property owner and assessors office, had that today. They agreed that it would take 25k to 35k to bring my property up to the level of the other sales they were using as comps.

We agreed to 95k which will again be locked in for 3 years. I am having my son added to the deed so he can get the homestead exemption since he lives there, I don't. Reasonably satisfied. I told the assessor that I would see him in 3 years and that since I was retired I could take as much of his time that I wanted. He knew that I would go all the way to Superior Court if not happy, I ain't got anything better to do!!

Bottom line.....I came up 20k after a 3 year freeze and getting another 3 year freeze. County backed off from 137k to 95k, more than 40k.

 

[Clarke123]

The State and Counties would be more accurate if we had a State Buy / Sell Law: You have the right to sell the property to the state for the valuation, they have the right to buy the property for the evaluation. If you protest, then the buy / sell option can be exercised by either party during the process.

 

[jeffdt]

The appeal is easy. Winning the appeal on the other hand.......

This, I actually went to the appeals hearing, no dice.

 

[jcountry]

I wish there were some way to reverse this trend.

Ga used to be nice, but we are quickly turning into NC, and they are quickly turning into NJ.

 

[madmarinehays]

Got to pay for those new stadium some how.

 

[The Old Jaybird]

This, I actually went to the appeals hearing, no dice.

I did offer my help as a former BOE appeals board member.

 

[The Old Jaybird]

The State and Counties would be more accurate if we had a State Buy / Sell Law: You have the right to sell the property to the state for the valuation, they have the right to buy the property for the evaluation. If you protest, then the buy / sell option can be exercised by either party during the process.

Are there states/counties that work like this?? This is eminent domain run amuck. County wants your property that is worth 200k, they just evaluate it for 100K and buy it, what recourse do you have???

 

[gh1950]

Are there states/counties that work like this?? This is eminent domain run amuck. County wants your property that is worth 200k, they just evaluate it for 100K and buy it, what recourse do you have???

This isn't done in Georgia.

The theory as stated is incomplete.

In Georgia, the landowner has the right to file a return at the first of the year, stating his value of the land. That value stands unless the county tax assessor sets a different value, and then the fun begins.

Very few property owners actually file returns (although all large landowners do), and just accept the county's valuation. Very few property owners are aware of their right to file a return.

The system suggested (which is not in effect anywhere of which I am aware) places the burden on the landowner to fairly value his own property - the county would have the right to purchase the property at the value the owner places on it. It's not as draconian as it seems, because the county has to come up with the money, and most counties are not in the land speculation game. BUT, here's the kicker, the taxes will be based on the value the landowner places on the land, which in theory is high enough to discourage the county from purchasing it.

Everyone should file a return -if the county wants to place a different value on it, the burden shifts to it to justify its valuation.

Georgia law clearly says that a property owner is always qualified to place a value on his property (real or personal). What this means is that you can value your property at $100 if you chose to do so. The county won't accept it, but they can't throw it out out of hand.

On the other side of the coin, half our hunting lease just got sold. It's on the tax books for $1500 an acre - it sold for $4500 an acre, which means the timber company has been paying taxes under the radar for years.

 

[The Old Jaybird]

There are unique provisions in the GA law for standing timber. I am not an expert, because there are no great stands of timber left in Gwinnett, but basically standing, growing timber has one value, then when the timber is "harvested", a second value is used. This is a very basic idea of how it works.

Clearly, the timber value is one that develops over time and is not available to the owner each and every year.

 

[gh1950]

There are unique provisions in the GA law for standing timber. I am not an expert, because there are no great stands of timber left in Gwinnett, but basically standing, growing timber has one value, then when the timber is "harvested", a second value is used. This is a very basic idea of how it works.

Clearly, the timber value is one that develops over time and is not available to the owner each and every year.

The tract that I am referring to was clear cut last year. The "dirt" value didn't change.

In theory the timber company pays a tax on the timber when it harvests it, but no one really monitors it. The big companies have systems in place to report the taxes on cut timbers, small producers not so much.