Honestly, I think it comes down to the assessor you get and how much coffee they've had that morning. 😂 When we appealed ours a couple years back, our neighbor with an almost identical house got a decent reduction, while we barely got a shrug. Same neighborhood, same style homes—go figure. Seems like there's no rhyme or reason sometimes, just luck of the draw...or maybe karma for not mowing my lawn enough?
You're spot on about the assessor lottery—I've seen it happen more times than I can count. One client of mine had their appeal rejected outright, while another down the street got a nice reduction with almost identical circumstances. It's frustratingly inconsistent, but there are a few things you can do to tilt the odds slightly in your favor.
First, always come prepared with solid comps—recent sales data from similar homes in your neighborhood. Assessors tend to respond better when you present clear, factual evidence rather than just general complaints. Second, document any unique issues or repairs needed on your property that might lower its value compared to neighbors. Photos and estimates help a lot here.
Lastly, timing matters. Appeals filed soon after receiving your assessment notice tend to get more attention than those submitted at the last minute. It won't guarantee success (nothing does), but it can improve your chances... at least a little bit.
"Assessors tend to respond better when you present clear, factual evidence rather than just general complaints."
Haha, learned this the hard way. First time I appealed, I showed up with nothing but righteous indignation... got nowhere. Next year, armed with comps and photos—boom, instant reduction. Lesson learned.
Haha, I get your point, but honestly I've seen assessors glaze over even with piles of evidence. Sometimes they're just having a bad day or something. Last year, I showed up with comps, photos, even a spreadsheet (nerd alert, I know...), and the guy barely looked at it—still had to escalate the appeal. So yeah, facts help, but luck and timing seem to play their part too.
Totally agree—I've heard similar stories. Makes me wonder if hiring a professional to handle the appeal is ever worth the extra cost. Has anyone tried that route and found it actually saved money in the end?
