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Should you appeal your Broward, Miami-Dade or Palm Beach County property taxes?

1. Have you incurred losses in the declining real estate market?
2. Do you suspect the local property appraiser over-assessed your commercial property?
3. Does your commercial property have any vacancies?
4. Did your assessment increase from the previous year?
5. Was the property purchased recently?
6. Was the property damaged due to fire, age, or weather?
7. Have you made any capital improvements (i.e. roof replacement) to your property?
8. Have you lost a Florida Homestead exemption on the real property?

Contact Property Tax Experts. Inc. today:

Call us Toll Free: (888) 789-5847

See how we can help you get the desired results that we have achieved for thousands of other property owners.

How the Appeals Process Works

• The county mails each property owner a NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES AND PROPOSED OR ADOPTED NON-AD-VALOREM ASSESSMENTS (or TRIM NOTICE - ACRONYM FOR TRUTH IN MILLAGE) annually by mid August. Your TRIM NOTICE contains the following information:

• The taxing authorities that make up the total millage.

• Previous years taxable value and your property taxes for the previous year.

• The 2010 proposal of taxes based on whether or not the budget change is made.

• The 2010 taxes, if no budget change is made.

• Your property value in the previous year which shows the market value and the assessed value for the previous year.

• Your property value this year - 2010 which shows the market value and the assessed value.

The TRIM NOTICE towards the bottom of the page tells you when the filing deadline is for filing a petition to challenge the assessed value.

ONCE YOU FILE YOUR PETITION:

In the last week of October, and starting in first week in November the Value Adjustment Board (VAB) starts scheduling hearings of value. In the past 2-3 years many property owners, in the tens of thousands are filing appeals. The sheer number of petitions filed and the number of Special Magistrates able to hear these cases can take up to a year before your case will be heard.

The Value Adjustment Board will schedule your hearing for a date certain. We have approximately two week prior to the hearing to submit our evidence and participate in the evidence exchange with The Property Appraiser Office. 

The Special Magistrate alots approximately 15-20 minutes for each case. He or she will conclude the hearing and will make his decision in approximately 2-3 weeks. A Special Magistrate Findings of Facts And Conclusion of Law with the decision on relief or not will be sent to the property owner or the property owner's representative or agent.

If a refund for overpayment of taxes is warranted, then expect a refund check (or sent to the lender who escrows real estate taxes) to be sent out in 3 or 4 months from the date of the hearing. If the real estate taxes were not paid by the time of the hearing, then a new and revised adjusted tax bill will be sent to the property owner or lender. The taxpayer will have only 30 days to pay the tax amount due (4% discount credit will apply against adjusted taxes due).

PROPERTY TAX EXPERTS, INC. DOES NOT RECOMMEND THAT A PROPERTY OWNER GO TO THE HEARING AND ATTEMPT TO DISCUSS HIS OR HER CASE IN FRONT OF A SPECIAL MAGISTRATE, WITHOUT A PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY TAX CONSULTANT. THE MAGISTRATE IS A VERY EXPERIENCED APPRAISER WHO IS THERE TO DECIDE ON MARKET VALUE. NINE TIMES OUT OF 10 PROPERTY OWNERS WILL FAIL TO GET AN ADJUSTMENT IN ASSESSED VALUE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE TO DISCUSS AND USE APPRAISAL PRINCIPLES WITH COMPARABLE SALES AND THE PROPER ADJUSTMENTS. WITH INCOME PROPERTIES, THE INCOME APPROACH TO VALUE IS USED AND THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS TO BE ABLE TO SHOW AND DISCUSS A DISCOUNTED CASH FLOW ANALYSIS AND CAPITALIZATION TECHNIQUES.

PROPERTY TAX EXPERTS, INC. IS YOUR PROPERTY TAX CONSULTANT. WE HAVE 21 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND A HIGH SUCESS RATIO OF SUCCESSFUL APPEALS.

• ADDITIONAL THINGS TO CONSIDER:
• The assessed value is based on market value.
• Foreclosures and Short sales may not be considered market sales.
• Concerning legal tax exemptions, you must (strike out fully) qualify for the exemption you desire. (call your Property Apppraiser Office for many of your questions)
• Value appeals are heard by Special Magistrates
• Legal exemptions are heard by attorney Special Magistrates.
• Evidence used in appeals on residential properties requires market sales. It is the sales that creates value.
• you cannot use comparative assessment analysis.
• Evidence for income properties use market sales data and the Income Approach to value.
• Cost Approach is not used very often in analysis because this approach is used for new buildings or special purpose properties.

If you want PROPERTY TAX EXPERTS, INC. to represent you; we will enter into a one-year only Contingency Fee Agreement. If we prevail and win our case then the contingency fee applies. If our petition is denied, then the property owner will not be charged for work completed. Please call for more information.

Remember, the filing fee is only $25.00 per petition. The return of your tax dollars on that investment could be immeasurable.

How can we help?

We go to work for you. We use all of our of skills, knowledge and computer analysis for the preparation in putting the evidence together for your appeal and when we go to the actual hearing. We pride ourselves in our success ratio and the relationships we have with the Special Magistrates. we simplify the process so you save time and money. Call us at (888) 789-5847.

Your Appeal process is a team effort with you.