NCAAbbs

A few months ago we got our new tax assessment. As did everyone in Jefferson County, I assume. They valued our home at almost $40k more than we paid for it just one year ago. And we paid what the home was appraised for at that time. And it was in the same range as all of the homes comparable to ours in size, age, and condition. Homes are still selling for around the same price in our area. Our neighborhood really hasn't seen any effects from the changes in the housing market.

We brought plenty of documentation to the tax assessors office in an attempt to get them to change it. They said we would hear something back soon. . That was in July. Today is the first day we heard anything back from them. And they said we should know something by Thanksgiving. How convenient, considering we pay taxes on the first of Nov.

My question is, does anyone know if we would be entitled to the money we overpaid if they were to lower the value of our home? Or would they just say that the value of our home was what it was when we paid taxes, and we're just SOL?

That's a nice little boondoggle that Jeffco has going on. They can't raise the tax rate without a vote of the people, which would stand a chance not unlike that of icecicles in Miami, so they artificially inflate the value at which they assess your house, to sqeeze you that way.

Mrs. Smaug (who does not shout) aired out someone in the assessor's office pretty good, a couple of years ago, the gist of her tirade was this, "YOU think my house is worth THAT much, I'll sell it to you right now!"

It was greeted with a blank stare. Our tax dollars at work.

Yeah the assessor we talked to didn't even want to look at our documentation. He just said "what do you think the value of your home is?" Wow! Really? We told him that we thought it was worth what we paid for it. Since that is what THEY THEMSELVES said it was worth just one year ago. The guy also said that they really just assess the values of the homes by driving by and looking at them. Since the only changes made outside of our home is landscaping, I find that a little insane. If I would have known that my lawn mowing abilities were worth $35k-$40/home. I would have taken a different career path.

There have been numerous complaints of the so-called "drive-by" evaluations in the past. I believe the assessors simply add a randomly chosen appreciation factor and send out the "bill". Most people pay their taxes in their mortgage payment and don't give the county's tax statement much attention. They like the value of their home going up since it is for many, the only investment they have that is going up in value.

In Alabama, we pay taxes on about 15% or less of our home's value (how would you like to pay sales taxes on only 15% of the grocery or clothing bill?) so the tax paid amount doesn't rise very much.

BTW, None of the state property tax revenue goes to the schools like in the "North". Local property taxes sometimes go to the local school system--Mtn. Brook has the highest local real property taxes in Alabama which is why they can afford their excellent school system.