Appealing Land Assessment

[pjcalla]

Have any of you ever appealed an assessment? Specifically, Hamilton County. We are in the process of purchasing a tract of land, and it's assessment is WAY high (think 3X what we are paying). I know the process, but was curious if any of you have actually done this. If so, were you successful? What was your proof? Did you hire an attorney? Etc.

Thanks.

 

[Mr. Habib]

I have never done this, but given that the tax assessment is supposed to be based on the "fair market value" of the property, I would get some real estate comps to show that the market value is much lower than the assessment. Just my $.02.

 

[eldirector]

I appealed my home assessment here in Hendricks county, and won. They tried to jack up the value 2 years after we closed on it. I had my bank's assessment, the PO's asking price, and the final price. Also pulled the assessments (available online) for similar properties the the area. Took FOREVER (they basically sat on it for a year), but they eventually agreed with me, I went in for a brief face-to-face to go over the assessment, and I even got a credit for the previous year's taxes (since my appeal was filed a year before).

Have your ducks in a row, and use their own assessment info "against" them. Hard for them to argue.

 

[femurphy77]

Did it in Morgan county last year. We had purchased a 2 acre lot next to us that historically had been considered agricultural. The 2nd year we had it they reassessed it residential and our $70/6 went to $480/6. We appealed and they returned it to agricultural but at a slightly higher $85/6. So yes it can be done. We didn't lawyer up or anything just brought up the historic use, our intended use etc.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I appealed mine this year, but I haven't had my hearing yet. Despite numerous calls over several months to the Lawrence County Assessors office they still haven't scheduled the hearings and they don't know when the hearings will be scheduled. I gave up calling them; I'll get my notice in the mail whenever they're scheduled. I just don't understand why it takes so stinking long. The paperwork had to be filed in May, and here we are 4+ months later and still nothing.

 

[hornadylnl]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/break_room/162145-outrageous_property_tax_assessment.html

 

[Naptown]

My parents hired some cat to do theirs in Hamilton county. I think he takes a certain percentage (high) of the difference. I'll be filing myself here shortly in Hamilton County - we are to close on a property in 2 weeks that is assessed at higher than the 1%.