When it comes to filing an appeal on your assessment value of your house, it helps to know what you’re talking about.
“Don’t appeal your value unless you know what you’re appealing,” said Michael Lohmeier.
Lohmeier, Michigan Certified General Real Estate Appraiser and former tax tribunal judge, hosted a Feb. 5 seminar, “Understanding Property Assessments and Appeal Procedures” at the Carriage House, Clintonwood Park.
When people receive their assessment notice, they should check it as soon as possible.
“You know your house,” he said. “And if you know your square footage, your bathroom count, finished basements or whether you have a basement or not, check the records to see what they say.”
Your assessment notice will have your assessed and taxable values.
“Assessed value times two is what they think the market value is. Tax value times two is the pocketbook value,” he said.
Questions to keep in mind when reviewing the assessment notice include:
What is the disparity between assessed and taxable value? Is assessment record correctly reflecting property? What do you believe property is worth and in terms of taxable value?
“Don’t go in there and say ‘my assessment is wrong and let me compare my assessment to my neighbor’s assessment because that’s where it should be,” he said. “You have to bring in some price and cost information. Bring in some factual information that supports your contention of the properties value.”
According to Michigan law, property assessment must not exceed 50 percent of the true cash value.
“You never have a second chance to make a good first impression,” Lohmeier said. “So always prepare before you appeal, prepare for your appeal, and prepare an appeal of your appeal”
Important dates: Dec. 31, for end-of-the-year taxes, local boards of review meet in March, and July 31, the deadline to file for the Michigan tax tribunal.
“It’s your responsibility to know those dates (of the March board of review) and to make an appearance,” said Lohmeier. “Some municipalities accept in writing appeals and some municipalities don’t.”
The tax tribunal’s small-claims division handles residential, poverty, and PRE exemption cases. The entire tribunal handles complex, commercial, and industrial appeal cases, as well as personal property classification and valuation cases.
“A lot of times, if you don’t have an attorney in a full-tribunal case, petitioners like to volunteer stuff so much earlier than they have too. They give so much more information than they should, and they do all these things that they ought not,” said Lohmeier. “A good property tax attorney will do things timely, properly, and appropriately.”
For more information, visit www.michigan.gov and type tax tribunal in the search box.