As the disproportionate property tax increases have been in the news lately, I wanted to pass along some information that I learned the hard way several years ago.
If a homeowner appeals his property valuation and takes his appeal all the way through the Board of Equalization and prevails, then his valuation will be locked in by the county for three years.
However, if the county concedes the homeowner’s valuation and the homeowner then drops his appeal prior to going to the Board of Equalization, then that value will only hold for that year. The homeowner can expect the county to then come back next year and raise their valuation once again.
So, as happened to me, in trying to do the right thing and save the county’s resources by dropping my appeal prior to the Board’s hearing once the county conceded my valuation, I was then blindsided the following year with the county’s unreasonable increase once again.
Forewarned is forearmed.
George Rogers
Fayetteville, Ga.
