We are interrupting our regularly scheduled story of the saga of our home remodel-that-became-a-tear-down to bring you Breaking News.

If you live in Atlanta, especially Fulton county, you probably know what I’m going to say…the tax assessments have arrived. Have you received yours? If not, you can look it up online HERE. How shocked were you? Most of my clients, friends, neighbors basically hit the ceiling when the saw the increase in the FMV—or Fair Market Value—of their home. If that’s you, you’re not alone.

According to the AJC, “Before last year’s freeze, property values were up an average of 13 percent in the county. This year, residential values are an average of 11 percent higher than those original 2017 values in Atlanta, and an average of 19 percent higher in the rest of the county.” That’s the bad news when it comes to property taxes.

The good news is that you can appeal the increase and I can help you be successful.

So, here’s we need to do:

First, visit fultonassessor.org/property-appeals/ to get the one-page form that you’ll need to fill out and submit on or before July 6, 2018. Once received by the assessor’s office a staff appraiser will be assigned your case. That appraiser will review the assessment and may or may not visit your property. Following that review, the assessor will send you a letter either rejecting your appeal or indicating that they are revising the value. You will have 30-days to either accept the new assessed value or reject it.

Next, if you reject the proposed value, a hearing will be scheduled with the Boards of Equalization. At this hearing the appraiser from the assessor’s office will present a case for the value and you will have the opportunity to present your case for what you believe is the value of your home.

This is where I can help you by providing a comparable market analysis with data to support the proper valuation and prove that the value didn’t increase as much as your current assessment says it did.

I’m offering this service at no charge because as a fellow Fulton county resident, I’m ticked off about it too and luckily (or, unluckily 😉 the world of appraisals and comparables is the world I live in as a Pricing Strategist and REALTOR®. Now, I can’t guarantee success, but I can guarantee that I’ll get you the best information I can as someone who lives and works in this area. So, call/text me at (404) 219-5968 or email me at hello@michellehatchrealtor.com if you want a comparable market analysis.

Also, very important, if you decide to appeal, we have to get moving and get your appeal form filled out and submitted either online or by mail July 6.

You may have questions as you go through the form, so I’m going to get on Facebook Live next Wednesday at Noon, ET to answer your questions and go through the form.

Join me as I go over the form step-by-step, via Facebook Live on my Michelle Hatch.REALTOR® Page on Wednesday, June 20 at noon ET. Make sure you visit my page now to Like and turn on notifications, so you get pinged when we’re live. You can ask questions and we’ll fill out the form together.

See you there! Also, if you cannot make it at that time the replay will be immediately available, also on my Facebook page.

Cheers,
Michelle