Don’t Pay Fees to Reduce Your Property Taxes

Date February 24, 2009

If you’re a homeowner, you more than likely have received numerous mailings from attorneys and private companies offering their help to have your property re-assessed and your property tax amount lowered. With falling property values, you may be able to save hundreds, or thousands, of dollars each year.

I urge you – don’t respond or enlist their services! You don’t have to pay a fee!

According to the Los Angeles County Office of the Assessor:

These companies may charge hundreds of dollars to file for a reduction in value on behalf of the property owner. Some companies are even imposing late fees if the application is received after an arbitrary deadline. Be aware that solicitations from private companies offering to pursue a reduction in property taxes must clearly indicate that they are NOT a government agency and that their services are NOT approved or endorsed by any government agency. Failure to provide such notice is a violation of California law.

If you purchased your single-family home or condo between July 2003 and June 2008, your home may be included in a free review by the County Assessor’s office. In some areas, homes purchased before July 2003 may also be looked at. To see if your home is part of the review, check this website after April 1st.

If your home was reviewed, you will receive a letter by the end of June notifying you of the results. If you do not agree with the results, or were not included in the review, you may file an application through December 31, 2009.

So don’t fall prey to these scam artists. Let your local County Assessor’s office do the work and save you money!

Questions or comments? E-mail me at blogger@matadorsmoneymatters.com.

Category Posted in Alerts & Scams

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