Shocking tax increase

[Ben M.]

I have hired a company to do the tax protest for me. Last year the assessed value was 110k and the tax protest company brought it down to 107k. This year the assessed value was a WHOPPING 208k and the tax protest company brought it down to 138k.

Has anyone seen this type of increase? An increase by 100k after only one year seems very unusual and I had to pay a big fee to the tax protest company to bring it down to 138k. How does someone assess a property and increase it by 100k after only one year and I did not have any upgrades or major changes.

[Nathan Gesner]

There are a variety of reasons. Maybe your property was overdue? Maybe there's been a lot of sales or new construction in the area that's driving property values up?

Are you an out-of-state owner? If so, tax assessors will often assess higher taxes on out-of-state owners in the hopes that you won't know any better or contest the increase. 

I'm surprised they would try to jump it so high after you successfully contested the increase last year.