有效降低不动产税的建议

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Your home value is dropped, so why are you still paying the same amount in property taxes? Well, listen up. There are ways to get a break.

First, realize you are not alone. Philadelphia's raised property taxes 19% for next year. Prince William County in Virginia could be looking at a 25% property tax hike. The residents in Hoboken New Jersey will see a 47% increase in their property taxes.

So what's going on here?

Well, first of all, property assessments are not entirely based on market value. It’s also based on what it would cost you to build your home from scratch, and a part of that assessment may also depend on what other homes are sold for in the area.

Second, there’s a lag time. Assessments are done every two to three years typically. But sometimes it could take longer than that. And finally local governments are hurting for cash and property taxes are a stream of revenue for your town.

The million-dollar question here--how do you go about lowering your property taxes?

Step number one, check the accuracy of your assessment. To do this, go to the assessor’s office and look for your property card that contains details of your home. Ask how your assessment value has been calculated and then go over the details with a fine toothcomb. Highlighting errors, errors like the number of rooms that are to square footage that's listed or whether your basement is listed as finished when it isn't. And find out what your neighbors’ assessment is. That's all a part of public record.

You next step, gather evidence, take photos of similar houses with lower assessments. You may need to get an appraisal in some cases, but be careful, this could cost you a couple hundred dollars. You generally have one to two months after you get your bills to appeal your property tax to your county assessor’s office. You may need to get a hearing before a local property tax appeals board.

I am Gerri Willis for cnnMoney.com.

Vocabulary:

1.       hike: a large increase in prices, wages, taxes etc

2.       from scratch: from a point at which nothing has been done ahead of time

3.       toothcomb: 细齿梳子

4.       appeals board: a board of officials that are not judicial but are appointed to hear appeals