Detailed answers about property tax appeals, our process, pricing, and what to expect in your county.
A property tax appeal is a formal process where a homeowner challenges the assessed value that their county has placed on their property. The assessed value directly determines how much you pay in property taxes each year.
If your county assessed your home at $350,000 but comparable homes in your neighborhood are selling for $300,000, you may be overpaying. An appeal asks the county to review and potentially lower that assessed value based on evidence you submit, such as recent comparable sales, property condition issues, or errors in the county's records.
If the appeal is successful, your assessed value is reduced, and your tax bill goes down accordingly.
Counties typically use mass appraisal methods to assess thousands of properties at once. These automated models rely on broad averages and may not account for:
Mass appraisal is efficient for counties but can miss these details. That's where an appeal supported by specific evidence comes in.
Any property owner can file an appeal in most jurisdictions. This includes:
In many counties, you can also authorize a representative to file and manage the appeal on your behalf, which is what we do.
Property taxes are based on the value the county uses for taxation and the tax rate that applies to your property.
Taxable value x local tax rate = property tax bill
In many areas, the county first sets a market value or assessed value, subtracts any applicable exemptions or reductions, and then applies the tax or millage rate. Some states also use assessment ratios, which is why the exact formula varies by county.
In nearly every case, the assessed value is a key driver of the bill and the part that can often be challenged in an appeal.
Market value is what a buyer would reasonably pay for your property in an open market transaction. It fluctuates with supply, demand, and comparable sales in your area.
Assessed value is the value your county assigns to your property for the purpose of calculating taxes. It is supposed to reflect market value, but it is determined through mass appraisal and is only updated periodically (every 1 to 6 years depending on the county).
The gap between these two numbers is exactly what creates the opportunity for an appeal. If your assessed value is higher than what the evidence supports as fair market value, you have grounds to challenge it.
No win, no fee means there are no up-front or hidden costs and no fee unless we actually reduce your property tax bill.
If the appeal does not save you money, you owe us nothing. If it does, our fee is 25% of the first year's actual tax savings, based on the county-confirmed reduction, not an estimate.
A partial reduction still counts as a win because it still lowers your bill. We explain the full policy in plain language on our No Win, No Fee Guarantee page.
Correct. We do not charge a retainer, review fee, or other up-front service cost to get started.
We review the property, prepare the case, and file the appeal without billing you first. You only pay after a successful appeal and confirmed savings. See how the guarantee works for a step-by-step breakdown.
We charge nothing up front. If we successfully reduce your property taxes, our fee is 25% of the first year's actual tax savings. If we do not save you money, the service is free.
Example: If your tax bill drops from $6,000 to $5,000, the savings are $1,000 and our fee would be $250. You keep $750 in first-year savings, and the lower assessment can continue benefiting you in future years at no additional fee from us.
You do not pay anything up front. We only invoice after the appeal is complete and the tax savings are confirmed by the county.
The fee is based on the actual savings achieved, not an estimate. That means you are never asked to prepay for research, filing, or review work.
If we do not achieve any tax savings, you owe nothing. This is not a limited promotion; it is how the entire service is structured. Our incentive is aligned with yours: we only get paid when you save money.
We also will not push you to file a weak case—if our analysis does not support a strong appeal, we will tell you upfront so you are not dragged through a process with little upside. More context: No win, no fee guarantee.
No. Our fee is strictly 25% of first-year savings. We do not charge consultation fees, filing fees, research fees, or any other costs. In most counties there is no government filing fee either. If a specific county charges a fee to file a complaint, we will discuss it with you before proceeding.
Our fee is based on the first year's savings only. If the reduced assessment carries forward into future tax years (which it typically does until the next reassessment cycle), you benefit from the lower bill at no additional cost.
Our fee is based on the actual tax savings in the year we appeal. If you already have a homestead, senior, or other exemption, we account for that when calculating the final bill reduction.
We do not charge on savings created by exemptions that were already in place. We only charge on the incremental reduction that actually lowers your tax bill because of the appeal.
To begin, we need:
We handle the research from there, including pulling your assessment data, finding comparable sales, and checking county filing rules.
After you submit your information, we manage the process step by step:
Timing varies significantly by county. Some counties resolve appeals within 4 to 8 weeks. Others, especially larger urban counties, may take 3 to 6 months or longer due to higher volumes of complaints and formal hearing schedules.
We cannot control county timelines, but we keep you informed at each stage and ensure nothing is missed or delayed on our end.
We handle the end-to-end process: research, evidence preparation, filing, and county follow-up. In most cases, the only things you need to do are:
Some counties may require additional signatures or, in limited situations, the owner to attend a hearing. If that happens, we will tell you well in advance and help you prepare.
Every county has its own filing window. Some accept complaints only during a 30-day period each year, while others have rolling deadlines tied to when you receive your assessment notice.
Missing the deadline typically means waiting until the next tax year. We track all relevant deadlines for the counties we operate in and file before the window closes. You can also check deadlines using the Tax Calendar on our homepage.
If the deadline has already passed for the current tax year, you generally cannot file until the next assessment cycle. However, some counties offer late-filing provisions under specific circumstances (such as a recent sale or major property damage). We can evaluate your situation and let you know if any options remain.
The strength of a property tax appeal depends on the evidence. We typically use a combination of:
Not usually. Most successful appeals are supported by comparable sales data and property condition evidence. A formal appraisal can strengthen a case but is not required in most counties. If we believe an appraisal would meaningfully help your case, we'll discuss it with you beforehand.
In most cases, no. Many counties allow a representative to attend on your behalf, and some resolve appeals administratively without any hearing at all. If your county does require the property owner to appear, we will let you know well in advance and help you prepare.
The hearing process varies widely: some are informal 10-minute reviews, while others are more structured proceedings before a board. We tailor our approach to each county's format.
At a typical Board of Revision or Board of Equalization hearing:
Hearings can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour depending on the complexity and the county's format. We prepare a clear, evidence-based presentation designed for the specific board and process involved.
In many states, you can appeal the board's decision to a higher authority, such as a state Board of Tax Appeals or a court. The rules, costs, and timelines for further appeals vary by state. We can advise you on whether a further appeal makes sense based on the specifics of your case.
We focus on residential properties, including:
We do not currently handle commercial, industrial, or large multi-family apartment buildings.
We evaluate each case individually. In general, properties with annual tax bills above $3,000 tend to have the strongest appeal potential because the potential savings are significant enough to justify the effort. However, there is no hard minimum; we're happy to review your property regardless.
Yes, in most cases. Even if you recently purchased your property, the assessed value may still be higher than the purchase price or current market value. In fact, some counties adjust assessments upward after a sale, which can make a new purchase a strong candidate for an appeal.
Your purchase price itself can serve as evidence of market value in many jurisdictions.
Generally yes, though you typically need to wait for the next assessment cycle or filing period. A previous denial does not permanently bar you from filing again. If market conditions have changed, new comparable sales are available, or your property condition has changed, a new appeal may have different results.
Absolutely. Property owners can file appeals themselves in every jurisdiction. The main advantages of working with us are:
We serve homeowners everywhere in the United States. Submit your property info and we'll get started.
County rules can differ in almost every dimension:
This is why a cookie-cutter approach to appeals doesn't work. We research each county's specific process before filing.
You can use the Tax Calendar on our homepage to look up deadlines by state. Click on your state to see filing windows, appeal deadlines, and key dates. If you're not sure, submit your property details and we'll check the deadline for you.
Yes. Every state (and often each county) has its own process. For example:
Ohio: Appeals are filed with the county Board of Revision, typically during a filing window in March. The Board schedules a hearing where evidence is presented. Decisions can be appealed to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals.
Minnesota: The process begins with a local Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting (usually in spring). If that doesn't resolve the matter, you can file with the county or go to Tax Court. Deadlines and procedures vary by county within Minnesota.
We serve all 50 states and tailor our approach to each state and county's specific requirements.
In some states and counties, yes. When an appeal is filed, the county or review board may look at the full assessment, and in some jurisdictions they can increase it if they believe the property is undervalued.
This is why we review risk before recommending that you move forward. If the market data suggests there is meaningful risk of an increase, we will tell you and we will not recommend filing a weak case.
Savings vary by property and county. Some homeowners save a few hundred dollars a year, while others save much more.
We do not promise a specific outcome. What we can do is review your property, compare it to the market, and tell you whether the likely savings appear worth pursuing before we file.
Partial reductions are common and still count as a win. If we requested a reduction to $280,000 and the county reduces your assessment from $350,000 to $310,000, you still save money on your tax bill. Our fee would be based on the actual savings achieved, not what was requested.
A successful appeal typically reduces your assessment for the current tax year. In many counties, the reduced value carries forward until the next reassessment cycle, which could be 1 to 6 years depending on the state and county. When the next reassessment occurs, the county will re-evaluate your property and set a new value.
We take your privacy seriously. Your personal information is used solely for the purpose of evaluating and filing your property tax appeal. We do not sell or share your data with third parties. Note that property tax appeals are public records in most jurisdictions: the filing itself and the outcome may be part of the county's public record, which is standard for all property tax appeals regardless of who files them.
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