Property Tax Appeal

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name: property-tax-appeal
description: "Challenge an over-assessed property tax bill — check whether your assessment is too high, build the evidence, and file the appeal before the deadline. Use when asked to appeal my property taxes, my property assessment is too high, lower my property tax, or is my home over-assessed. Produces an over-assessment check (comparables vs your valuation), the evidence pack to build, the appeal steps and the strict deadline to watch, a realistic savings estimate, and what to expect at a hearing — flagging that process and rules are local. Not legal or tax advice."
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# Property Tax Appeal

Property tax is based on an assessed value that's often wrong — and a successful appeal can cut your bill for years. Most people never challenge it because they don't know how. This helps you check whether you're genuinely over-assessed, assemble the comparables and evidence that win appeals, and file before the (strict) deadline — while being clear the process is local and this isn't tax or legal advice.

## What This Skill Produces

- **An over-assessment check** — comparing your assessed value to recent sales of similar properties and your home's real condition
- **The evidence pack** — comparable sales, photos of defects/issues, an independent valuation if warranted, and assessment errors (wrong size/features)
- **The appeal steps & deadline** — how to file with your assessor/board and the firm deadline (often a short annual window)
- **A savings estimate** — roughly what a successful reduction is worth per year
- **Hearing expectations** — what the informal review or board hearing involves and how to present
- **A locality flag** — process, deadlines, and grounds vary by jurisdiction; not tax/legal advice

## Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:
- **Your assessment** — the assessed value, the tax bill, and the assessment date
- **Your property** — size, features, condition, recent purchase price if any
- **Comparables** — recent sales of similar nearby homes (or a request to help find them)
- **Any errors** — wrong square footage, bedroom count, lot size, or condition on record
- **Location** — determines the process, deadline, and appeal body

## Framework: Prove It's Too High, File On Time

1. **Test the assessment.** Compare your assessed value to recent sales of genuinely similar properties and to your home's actual condition — an appeal needs it to be demonstrably too high, not just "high."
2. **Check the record for errors.** Assessors work from data that's often wrong (overstated size, features, or condition) — a factual error is one of the easiest wins.
3. **Build comparable-sales evidence.** The core of most appeals is comps: similar homes that sold for less than your assessment implies. Assemble the strongest few.
4. **File before the deadline.** Appeal windows are short and strict; establish the deadline first and file with the correct body.
5. **Present cleanly at the hearing.** Lead with the comps and the number you believe is correct; be factual, not emotional.

## Output Format

### Property tax appeal: assessed [value] · [location]

**Over-assessed?** vs comparables/condition → [likely yes / borderline / probably not].
**Evidence to build:** [comps · record errors · photos · valuation if needed].
**File:** with [assessor/board], by [deadline] — [informal review vs formal appeal].
**Worth:** ~[annual saving if reduced].
**Hearing:** lead with comps + your supported value; factual and brief.

> Process, deadlines, and grounds vary by jurisdiction. Not tax or legal advice — confirm with your local assessor's office, and consider a professional for high-value properties.

## Quality Checks
- [ ] Tests the assessment against real comparables/condition
- [ ] Checks the assessment record for factual errors
- [ ] Builds a comparable-sales evidence pack
- [ ] Emphasizes the strict filing deadline
- [ ] Estimates the annual savings
- [ ] Flags that process is local / not tax-legal advice

## Anti-Patterns
- **Appealing on "it feels high"** with no comparables.
- **Missing the short filing window.**
- **Ignoring easy record-error wins.**
- **Emotional hearing pitches** instead of comps and numbers.
- **Asserting one process** across all jurisdictions.

## Example Trigger Phrases
- "I think my property taxes are too high — how do I appeal?"
- "My home's assessed value went up a lot. Can I challenge it?"
- "Help me find comparables to appeal my property assessment."
- "What evidence do I need to lower my property tax?"
- "When's the deadline to appeal my assessment and how do I file?"