Fought Property Taxes and Won?

**jonesy** · February-01-10, 11:23 PM

Has anyone recently fought their Detroit property taxes? If so, what was the outcome? I plan on fighting mine and would appreciate some advice.

**Det_ard** · February-02-10, 12:36 AM

1. You have to go to the Assessment Division between 2/1 and 2/15 [[Rm 804 I think). If you don't go you lose your right to appeal. [[extra step only for Detroiters, by Detroiters)

2. Go to Detroit Board of Review, get shot down or offered a token concession.

3. Appeal to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Running 2.5 years out right now. Get a "Tax Appraisal" from a certified appraiser. You'll be able to challenge each subsequent year but will need an appraisal as of 12/31 of each subsequent year.

4. Do an in-person or telephone 30-minute hearing. Present acceptable info and get 3 years of over payments back.

5. Or give up [[every city's fervent hope) and pay too much.

**sumas** · February-02-10, 06:05 AM

Somethings work well with the city and others do not. For the past three years we have gotten a close friend [[disabled and low income, a tax abatement) This same friend put us on a quit claim deed to his house and taxes went from $3000 to over $8000. We went down with legal papers to show we get the house on his death ie no tranfer. They adjusted the taxes then upped them again. Go figure! Since he currently pays no property taxes we choose not to challenge the assessment but they are nuts if they think I would pay $8,000 dollars per annum on a house worth maybe $15,000.

**pkbroch** · February-02-10, 11:32 AM

Here it is 2/2/10 and we still have not gotten our new assessment. Last year got it on 2/5/10, wrote a letter with documentation, you can write letters. NO Response , sent it certified, they said they never got it, got proof, means nothing. Tried to appeal, can't do it, city said I never sent the letter that I have proof they signed for.

Only in Detroit!!!!!!

**pkbroch** · February-02-10, 01:56 PM

Just got my bill. My taxes for the year dropped by a WHOPPING $ 30 dollars a year. The taxable value dropped by $ 465 per year.

I Guess those a-holes at the assessors office know more than the real estate appraisers.

Please give me the $ 310,000. you think my house is worth, so I can Move.

**Lostlegumes** · February-02-10, 02:43 PM

I fought mine twice--and won both times. Even got them to go back one year and lower it. So I got it lowered for three years, at which point they told me to quit coming back.

I should mention that I'm in the burbs, not the city.

**Goose** · February-02-10, 02:47 PM

there should be an option that the homeowner has the option of selling the house to the city at what the city thinks its worth, even at maybe 10-15% less, and that the city should be required to buy, if the city can buy properties at 15% less than what they think is the fair market value, its a win-win situation ...... that would get the values in line quickly.....

**Hermod** · February-02-10, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by Goose

there should be an option that the homeowner has the option of selling the house to the city at what the city thinks its worth, even at maybe 10-15% less, and that the city should be required to buy, if the city can buy properties at 15% less than what they think is the fair market value, its a win-win situation ...... that would get the values in line quickly.....

That is what I have always thought. If a tax assessor overvalues a property, the owner can challenge the assessment and state a value that he thinks the property is worth. The gummint taxing authority has two options, buy the property at their assessment or reduce the assessment to the taxpayers number.