Comments on: My Property Taxes Were Lowered by $36,622

By: Ryan Lundquist

Ryan Lundquist — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:34:46 +0000

I should clarify too that most of the tax appeal work I did last year I prepared reports with a limited scope of work (and therefore limited fee). However, I definitely did a handful of full appraisals for more heavy-duty properties that weren’t so easily represented with a limited product.

By: Ryan Lundquist

Ryan Lundquist — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:22:01 +0000

Thanks Michael. I actually don’t do full appraisals for the tax appeals I handle (most of the time – unless warranted). I don’t act as an appraiser in those cases either, but as a property tax consultant (I know there is a very fine line there). I have a much more limited product I offer for my property tax appeals. The evidence report I supplied for my own house was not offered by me as an appraiser. I wrote something to the effect of “I am a real estate appraiser, but this is not being prepared by me an appraiser, but as a home owner.” It would be very questionable to act as an advocate if I was doing this type of work while wearing my appraisal hat since we have to be neutral.

By: Michael Coyle

Michael Coyle — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:57:12 +0000

Ryan, Congrats on the reduction. Any savings is a good thing these days. I was curious…assuming that you needed to provide an appraisal with your appeal (as we typically do in PA), did you hire another appraiser or did you do the appraisal yourself? Also, how did the board of assessment react to your being an appraiser presenting his own appeal?