what is a fair % for Tax lawyer

Question

Hi There, I would like to know what is a fair and typical  % I should pay the property tax lawyers for appealing my properties. They take a certain amount if they are successful in lowering the property taxes but I feel its high and I have given them 15+ bldgs to assess and submit.

Wanted to know what other owners are paying for this service. I don't do it myself cause it seems time consuming and maybe a bit complicated.

Thanks for the advice.

ZH.

Henry T. · Answer

Some people do it every year for fun. My kinda people.  Attorneys that do it professionally can get results. They have the experience and know which levers to pull. I've done my own, but I think it's more complicated these days.  Try one yourself and see how it goes.

Paul De Luca · Answer

We paid a 25% fee. Which is fine because our attorney saved us $1k on our tax bill after deducting their fee.

John Underwood · Answer

I have successfully appealed my own properties.

You should show why your taxes are too high.  I submit comps, pictures of my property, other lower tax bills from neighbors etc. Anything to prove my argument.  I always get it lowered.

Henry T. · Answer

The first time I did it, it was just a brief note showing purchase price which was 1/2 their assessment, a no brainer. (They had 65k, I bought 35K) It's now 1 mil.  The 2nd one was more complex and recent, much more paperwork, pulling comps, and showing interior pics. Both were successful appeals but within 2 years they were back up and higher.  You feel like you can't win. But I've heard of attorney's really grilling the assessors at the hearings. The assessors know them by name and  dread having to prepare.

Zulf H. · Answer

@Henry T. @John Underwood

I would like to do this but with over 15 properties this will be too time consuming. Any idea how much time you spent on this, I rather pay someone to do it but I just want to be sure its a reasonable percent. I think 25% is reasonable.

what is a fair % for Tax lawyer

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