The Easy Tax Fix Service
Why should I pay for your service?
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We have done the research for you regarding your county’s or municipality’s property tax calculations, rates and detailed procedures to file an appeal.
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We help you determine whether your property is potentially over-assessed and how much you could save by successfully appealing your property taxes.
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We assist you in valuing your property by providing County required information about comparable homes sold during the specific valuation period required for the appeal.
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We provide you the proper appeal forms and fill out these forms based on your input and county required specifications.
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We provide you detailed instructions on where to send the forms and supporting data and how to proceed with your appeal.
What are the chances I will win the appeal?
In these unprecedented economic times, with the number of property tax assessment appeals multiplying year over year, it’s a moving target. We will say this: there is no question home prices have fallen dramatically over the last couple of years. If your home is over-assessed, it is probably due to the fact that your property has been valued from inaccurate or old comparables. It may also be that the equalization ratio or “common level” calculated by the taxing authorities in this turbulent market is off the mark. By simply updating the comparables used to value your property, your assessment should come down.
What are the chances I will need to attend a hearing?
This will vary by area. We believe that counties DO NOT promote the fact that MOST appeals based on market value are settled (or “stipulated”) between the homeowner and the assessor before the hearing. The reality of the market conditions is that Counties are receiving thousands and thousands of appeals. They simply do not have time to hear every case. For clear-cut cases, it is within the County’s interest to settle.
Don't I need a lawyer?
For a residential, non-income producing property, NO, you DO NOT need a lawyer. The standard practice in the property tax appeal business has been to hire a lawyer who is paid out of the savings achieved — 25-50% of the annual savings are pretty standard, and sometimes these contingency fees remain in effect over a couple of years. This means that with potential savings of $1,000-2,000 you could be paying $500-$1000 in fees for a couple of years. (Corporations or other business entities are encouraged to use our service to help identify comparables and prospective tax savings, but we recommend such entities do consult an attorney before filing an appeal.)
Why do other services charge hundreds of dollars or a percentage of savings?
This process is foreign to those who have not put some time and effort into thoroughly researching it. The companies that charge hundreds of dollars or bill a percentage of the savings are doing many of the same steps we are (though, we think, not as well); we just think they are overcharging.
Why couldn't I just do this myself?
You are essentially doing this yourself by approving the valuation and sending it in. We are simply doing the time-consuming research—determining if, in fact, you have a case, getting the appropriate government paperwork, providing a preliminary property valuation per County instructions, and making sure you follow all the fine print.
How long will this take?
About 5-10 minutes.
Where does all the data come from? How can you know all this stuff?
We aggregate publically available data and make it readily available to you in one place — easy, legal, and inexpensive.
How is your service different than other services that claim they will reduce my taxes?
We do not file the application for appeal as your agent. We provide you the tools to quickly file the application yourself.
Do you guarantee that I will get the property tax savings indicated?
No. Valuation of your property for assessment purposes is determined by the government, so we can't guarantee that your valuation will be reduced or that the property tax you will be required to pay will decrease. Any service that says it offers such a guarantee is breaking the law; don't be misled.
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Our Valuation Methodology
What is the goal here?
The goal is to get to the lowest defendable valuation of your property because your taxes are calculated based on this assessment.
What is your valuation methodology?
Many counties publish a recommended approach to this valuation. We are using it if they have provided a suggested methodology!
How do we select the three comparable properties we base your estimated tax savings on?
We use an algorithm that selects properties geographically and physically similar to yours and sold during the applicable valuation period.
Can I just use sites like Zillow, HomeValues or Trulia to get comps?
These sites offer comparable properties, but they may not fall into the appropriate time period required for your valuation.
What are the “other valuation adjustments”?
Your property's valuation should NOT be a simple average of the per square foot price of the comparables. Each property needs to be valued according to its own characteristics, unique qualities or unique inadequacies. To this end, we ask YOU to evaluate YOUR property versus the comparables selected. Bear in mind, YOU need to be able to defend your inputs if challenged by the County Assessor.
What if you don’t know how your property compares to the comparables selected?
Enter, "I do not know." Do not try and make anything up. The County Assessor knows your area and will call you out. Only use this section if you can make a clear cut case for the input.
How do you take into account all the upgrades my home has and the ocean view I have?
We leave these intangibles to you in the "Other Valuation Adjustments" section. We allow you to adjust your property's value by making us aware of the differences to the selected comparables. Bear in mind, you may be asked to present your case in front of the County Board—so don’t waste your time if YOUR judgments cannot be defended.
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Spend 5 minutes now and potentially save thousands!
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