Documenting a factual error in your property record
The easiest win available, and it needs evidence rather than argument.
If the county's record says something untrue about your house, correcting it is simpler than any valuation argument — you are not disagreeing, you are pointing at a mistake.
Get the record card
Ask the assessor for the property record card. It lists square footage, room counts, basement finish, garage, porches, year built, sometimes a sketch. Read every line against reality.
Common errors worth checking
- Square footage larger than the house actually is.
- A finished basement that is not finished.
- Bathrooms counted that do not exist.
- A garage counted twice, or an attached garage recorded as heated living space.
- A demolished shed or outbuilding still on file.
- Wrong year built after a rebuild.
- A lot size that does not match the plat.
What proves it
Photographs, dated and captioned. A survey or plat for lot size. Architectural plans. A contractor's letter. A demolition permit. For square footage, a measured sketch with dimensions — measure the exterior footprint per floor and show your working.
Where to take it
The township assessor first. This is precisely the kind of thing they can fix without a hearing.