I just wanted to send a reminder out to everyone about the property tax appeal deadline that has been set in Tooele County, Utah.  Tooele County has requested that appeals be received by August 31, 2009.  No appeals will be accepted after September 15, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. 

This is a very important date for many of you who found that your property values had skyrocketed when the county assessor’s office reappraised many areas of the county this year.   I don’t agree with how they went about reassessing value without, it seems, doing any real work.  It appears that they just picked an area and looked at some listings and then set the price.  Appraisals are based on SOLD data NOT LISTING data, so the new appraisals have been very high and very inaccurate. 

To appeal your tax assessment if you feel your property value has been overstated, you can visit the Tooele County web site for instructions and the form.  Tax Appeal Form  One of the items that can be used as evidence to prove the value of your home is a set of at least 3 comparable properties that sold in the tax year.   If you need assistance obtaining information on 3 properties that sold in 2008, please contact me and I will help you.

Also, as property values have continued to decrease slightly in 2009, it may be worth it to appeal again next year to get the value where it should be.   I don’t think anyone minds paying their fair share of taxes based on a fair market value, but the assessments that I have seen are certainly not based on fair market value. 

Again, if you need any help with the tax appeal process, let me know!

Andrea Cahoon, A House SOLD Name!