Allegheny County Pennsylvania Property Assessment
Hi Folks,
I just received an unsolicited marketing letter from a legal firm in the Allegheny County Pennsylvania area. I purchased a rental there last April. This guy says he can lower my property taxes by challenging the County on the assessed price of the property. I paid $105K for it, it is assessed at $120,700. The thing is, he wants 75% of the first year's refund - about $725 contingency commssion.
1. I'm not a sucker, contingency or not, I'm not paying 75% of the first year's savings.
2. What is the process for challenging the property's assessed value? Is it something I can do from Colorado?
3. I live in Colorado, but a friend is renting the house from us; the house is under an EIN, etc, so this is a company, not just a DBA or Schedule E. Is it worth fighting? If this guy, or someone else for a smaller commission, can successfully lower my property taxes for several years at a savings of about $80 a month, I'd like to go that route because we aren't making any money on the house and won't in the foreseeable future.
4. Do you know someone who can do the same job for less of a commission?
Thanks for any advice!