evan9381 Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 branched off the other thread since it didnt really go there, and got no response. has anyone submitted an appeal to the auditors office recently with the housing market taking a dump and values going down? i bought my house at the midway point between HUDs assessment and the banks assessment, which was still over 35k lower than the auditor in 2007 ive done a couple improvements (new patio out back, couple small changes in house), but ive also done stuff that i knew would make my value take a hit like turning 2 bedrooms into 1, thus going from a 3br house to a 2br) but looking at the auditors website, if i can get them to accept the value of my home (FMV) at say 5k over the last assessment for example, it would drop my taxes about $600/yr... a decent chunk has anyone done this? if so, was it a PITA or was it pretty straight forward?? i think i found the form on the auditors website to turn, and i still have both assessors reports from dec 2008 and march 2009 when i bought the house, as well as comp's my realtor pulled at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig71188 Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 I did it when I bought my current house, but it was a little more straightforward. I purchased the house for far less than the auditors appraised value. Filled out the form, submitted it by the deadline (I think around March 1st) and waited. Come September, I was officially revalued at the purchase price. Interesting side note, I was told if I had purchased it for more than the appraised value, Columbus Public Schools has someone who checks this and appeals for a higher appraisal!!! (maybe that person needed a raise so we got the last levy:bs:). I also checked my property on the auditors sight a couple of months back and found I was assessed a "renters fee" or some such thing. I called and was told I didn't rspond to a letter they sent (and I never saw) that confirmed me as the owner occupant, so they added the fee as a potentila rental property! Once again, file a form and got it taken off, but just more BS hassle. In your case, you MAY have to go through a hearing process (even though you submit all your backup paperwork with the form). Hey, it doesn't cost anything to file, other than your time. Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodRed Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 My friends did this a few months back and it lowered their payment, but then the school district had a tax levy go into effect and it increased it again. Might be worth checking into since the Westerville school levy passed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sully Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 I did it about 3 or 4 years ago on my old house. I bought it for 177K-ish, when I refinanced a few years later, the mortgage company appraised it at 150K. I called the Franklin County Auditor's Office. (I didn't know the paperwork was online). They mailed me the papers, filled them out, sent them in. A few weeks later, value was dropped. Payment went down and even got some money back for "overpaying" taxes. Do it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bam Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Mine's the other way around, LOL. Don't tell them. They currently have my house valued at $127k on the auditor's site, but when I refinanced earlier this year it appraised at $189k, so I'm just hoping they never catch on and up my taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted November 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 yeah, i dont think mine will come back higher... guess its worth a shot. now since the deadline is march 31, if i get it done in the next couple months, itll lower my taxes for 2009 that im paying in 2010, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted April 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2010 just to update this - went down to auditors office november 09...woman gave me form to fill out, said to wait until 1/1/10 to mail it in. she said since it was a recent sale and i had 2 appraisals, showing i bought house for 78k, there was a good chance i wouldnt have to go in for a hearing.. so i mailed in my complaint of valuation form 1/1/10. sent in settlement statement from buying my house, appraisal HUD did 12/31/08, appraisal my bank did march 2010, and i think there was one other form today i received in the mail a letter that they agreed that the lower value was warranted, and dropped the value to $78,000, AS OF 1/1/2009...fuck yes...taxable value is 35%, $27300. so due to this, my taxes go from $2578/yr to $1731/yr $847/yr = $70.58/mo less. plus, when i called in, she said once my mortgage co pays my taxes in june, 35 days after that, in 4-8 weeks (odd, i know, i figure 2-3 months after paying) they will refund me the difference from what it should have been vs what it was. i think last year they were at 2198 or so, so still like $500. easy peasy. some of you may want to look into it if you feel your homes have taken a hit in value. there was a big news article about this in the last couple months. it was free, took a few months, and the worst that could have happened is my taxes would have stayed the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds Posted April 24, 2010 Report Share Posted April 24, 2010 does it cost anything to do? if not, im doing it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted April 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2010 for me it cost nothing, but you have to prove what your value is. i got lucky since i had just bought the house, had 2 appraisals, etc. if youve lived in the house for a while, you'll probably need an appraisal which might be ~$400, maybe a second opinion, comparables, etc. but to submit the complaint of valuation = free Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted April 24, 2010 Report Share Posted April 24, 2010 does it cost anything to do? if not, im doing it! costs you an appraiser coming out.... if you don't, then you will go to court and more than likely they will deny it unless you can show proof that it's value has dropped... (I tried to show what I paid for the house and they just said, wow, good job on negotiating your purchase) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted April 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2010 costs you an appraiser coming out.... if you don't, then you will go to court and more than likely they will deny it unless you can show proof that it's value has dropped... (I tried to show what I paid for the house and they just said, wow, good job on negotiating your purchase) did your bank not have an appraisal done before they gave you the loan? you can use that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted April 24, 2010 Report Share Posted April 24, 2010 did your bank not have an appraisal done before they gave you the loan? you can use that. I paid cash so I had no bank to do an appraisal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted April 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2010 ah...well, im not a baller like you that can pay cash for a house. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted August 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Update...auditors office showed myupdated value online 8/1, and in the mail today i got a check for the overages paid on the reduced value. Now im just waiting on some stuff from my bank to show the title company they missed a special assessment which had to be paid from my escrow account which will get me another $400 back that i should have never had to have paid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TA In Progress Posted August 6, 2010 Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Did they give a time limit on how old the appraisals could be? I bought my current house at the end of March/beginning of April so I have the appraisals from then. There's about a 100k difference between what I paid and what it's listed at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted August 6, 2010 Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Time for me to do this. Calling today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted August 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Did they give a time limit on how old the appraisals could be? I bought my current house at the end of March/beginning of April so I have the appraisals from then. There's about a 100k difference between what I paid and what it's listed at. Well, i bought my house march 23rd 2009. My appraisals were from 12/31/08 (HUDs appraisal) and early march 09 (from my bank). I sent in the complaint 1/1/10 and they notified me it was accepted in april Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted August 12, 2010 Report Share Posted August 12, 2010 Here is the form. Now I gotta figure out how to fill the MF'r out. Called them today. Form needs to be in between Dec. 15th and Mar. 31st. http://www.franklincountyauditor.com/pdf/forms/dte_1.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted August 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2010 If youre home this weekend and i stop by my dads, ill show you how to do it. The form itself is easy...getting stuff to back up what you think the value should be can take some legwork Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig71188 Posted August 13, 2010 Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 getting stuff to back up what you think the value should be can take some legwork Mine was a bit easier as I just purchased the house - I think they just looked at the purchase price and that was it. A good place to get some additional information is the Franklin County Auditor's sight: http://www.franklincountyauditor.com/ Go to "Your Property" at the top and then "Property Search" in the pull down. Once you look up you property there are several options for looking up other property in you area. If you live where there are a lot of similar houses, you can sometimes come up with comparables in either current assesments, or in sales value using the recent sales report - remember - figures don't lie, but liars figure!!! Despite having the purchase contract, I also was able to show my house was appraised higher by square footage than several comparables in the area (all with like bedroon/bathroom count & square footage) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted August 13, 2010 Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 If youre home this weekend and i stop by my dads, ill show you how to do it. The form itself is easy...getting stuff to back up what you think the value should be can take some legwork Sounds good. I'll be there all weekend. Shoot me text when you have time to stop by. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wease Posted August 13, 2010 Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 I would do this just to save money, but the county auditor's site has my house at about 500 less square feet than it really is, so I'm keeping my mouth shut... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted August 13, 2010 Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 They have my current value at 16K more than I paid. In reality the value is probably 40K less than I paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted August 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 They have my current value at 16K more than I paid. In reality the value is probably 40K less than I paid. Right, but youve been there a while right? Might need to get an appraiser to come out as well as search some comparables in the area if your stuff isnt recent Wease - they have some houses same as mine like that...b/c its a 3 level split, they counted the half basement on some like mine as 1388 sq/ft but on others only like 989 or so. Not sure why they did it though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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