If you own a home in Atlanta Georgia, you should have recently received your Property Tax Assessment for 2018. Property assessments reflect your home’s value and greatly affect your property taxes. Our goal is to help you navigate this major step in “homeownering” and educate you on your rights, options, and responsibilities.

Here are the basics you should know about Property Tax Assessments:

• Every county in the state of Georgia must assess your home within a certain percentage of the Fair Market Value (aka – the amount a knowledgeable buyer would pay for the property and a willing seller would accept for the property).
• Whenever they are establishing the fair market value, they look at- Size of land lot & buildings
  – Age, materials & features
  – Location
  – Sales of comparable properties
• In addition to visiting properties in the community, the appraisal staff reviews photos of properties, sales data, building permits and more.

Please note: The Notice of Assessment is NOT a bill. You will receive a tax bill later in the year after city, county & school millage rates are set.

Keep in mind: You may appeal your assessment within 45 days if you do not believe it represents the fair market value of your property.

Appealing your Property Assessment:

If you do not believe your assessment represents fair market value for your property,
you may file an appeal with the Board of Assessors.

Property owners may appeal their appraised value on the basis of:

1.  Value – Assessed value of the property.
2. Uniformity – Comparison to similar properties in neighborhood.
3. Taxability – Whether property is taxable.
4. Exemption Denied – Qualified exemption not applied.
5. Breach or denial of covenant – Applies to covenants for agricultural properties.

You appeal date can be found on the upper right hand corner of your assessment. You can file your appeal online, by mail, or in person!

When you file an appeal you may choose:

1. A hearing before a Board of Equalization
2. Non-binding arbitration, for basis of valuation only. (*fees may apply*)
3. Hearing Officer (for non-homestead property with fair market value above $750,000, for basis of value and/or uniformity (*fees may apply*)

HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION

Homestead exemptions are an important form of property tax relief. If you had a homestead exemption in place or submitted a new homestead exemption application by the April 2, 2018 deadline, you should see the exemption applied to your 2018 tax bill. If you haven’t filled your homestead exemption forms for 2018, you’re too late, but have no fear – the deadline for 2019 Homestead Exemption is still a few months away and there’s no time like the present to get it knocked out.

For more information about your property tax assessment, watch the video below: