Appeal your Oxford Michigan property tax bill.
To successfully appeal your property tax bill, you first need to do a bit of sleuthing into your real estate assessment. It’s possible to trim your property tax bill by appealing the tax valuation of your home. But making a case against your real estate assessment, the basis for your property tax bill, requires doing a bit of homework.
Read your assessment letter
A real estate assessment is conducted periodically by the local government to assign a value to your Oxford home for taxation purposes. An assessment isn’t the same as a private appraisal and the assessed value of your home isn’t necessarily how much you could sell it for today. Real estate assessment letters are mailed to homeowners annually or perhaps every 2 to 3 years, depending where you live.
Gather evidence
Start by making sure the assessment letter doesn’t contain any mistakes. Is the number of bathrooms accurate? Number of fireplaces? How about the size of the lot? There’s a big difference between 0.3 acres and 3.0 acres. If any facts are wrong, then you may have a quick and easy challenge on your hands. Next, research your home’s value. Check a website like Zillow.com to find approximate values of comparable properties.
Present your case
Once you’re armed with your research, call your local assessor’s office. Most assessors are willing to discuss your assessment informally by phone. If not or if you aren’t satisfied with the explanation, request a formal review. Pay attention to deadlines and procedures. There’s probably a form to fill out and specific instructions for supporting evidence. A typical review, which usually doesn’t require you to appear in person, can take anywhere from 1 to 3 months. Expect to receive a decision in writing.
If the review is unsuccessful, you can usually appeal the decision to an independent board, with or without the help of a lawyer.
references: houselogic, barbara eisner bayer
This article provides general information about tax laws and consequences, but is not intended to be relied upon by readers as tax or legal advice applicable to particular transactions or circumstances. Readers should consult a tax professional for such advice and are reminded that tax laws may vary by jurisdiction.