Record error
The county's file says your home is something it is not.
Assessors hold a record for every property: living area, land size, bedrooms, bathrooms, basement, garage, condition, year built. Some of it is decades old and some of it is simply wrong.
A record error is the most straightforward appeal there is. You are not arguing about value or comparables; you are showing that a fact is incorrect and asking for the assessment to be recalculated on the correct fact.
Overstated living area is the most common and the most valuable to fix, because almost every valuation model is driven by it.
Related
- Appeal — A formal challenge to your assessment, not to your tax bill.
- Evidence packet — The documents that make your case, which usually decide it.
- Notice of assessment — The letter that starts your appeal clock.
Property tax is state law and the details differ. For what applies where you live, see coverage by state and your appeal deadline.