Chuck Webb, CRB, CRS

If you wish to do the research yourself, a good place to start is your county/city assessor office. Write down the addresses of several homes similar to yours in your neighborhood, then check the assessor's website for their current assessed value (also known as market value). If the compared properties have values close to yours, or less than yours, this data may serve as a basis for an appeal to your assessor. Now, there is usually only a brief window of time allowed for appeals to be filed, so you'll want to make sure you follow the guidelines posted. Another effective method is to request a market analysis of your property by your favorite local real estate agent. He/she should be able to access the latest sales data to determine if there is, indeed, a basis for an appeal. Since these values affect not only the market's reaction to attempts to sell, but also your property tax bill as you live there, your attention to the latest assessment is a wise and prudent activity. Good Luck! - Wed May 7 2008, 14:13