If your property tax bill keeps climbing, the number driving that increase is your assessed value. The good news: that number is not final. You have the right to challenge it, and homeowners who do often walk away paying hundreds or even thousands less per year.
This guide walks you through how to check whether your assessment is too high, how to build a case, and how to file a formal appeal or protest, step by step.
Key Takeaways
Most homeowners overpay because they never challenge their assessment — according to Ownwell's 2026 survey, 74% of U.S. homeowners have never appealed.
Start by comparing your assessed value to recent comparable sales and checking for factual errors on your property record.
Gather evidence (comps, photos, repair estimates) before your jurisdiction's deadline, then file a formal appeal or protest.
Homeowners who appeal have strong odds — Ownwell's analysis of 17 Texas counties found win rates ranging from 57% to 89%.
If the process feels overwhelming, Ownwell handles the entire appeal for no upfront cost and charges only if you save.
What Is a Property Tax Assessment and Why Does It Matter?
Your property tax assessment is the dollar figure your local government assigns to your property for tax purposes. This assessed value is the single biggest variable in what your annual tax bill looks like.
The formula is straightforward: assessed value multiplied by your local tax rate (sometimes called the millage rate) equals your annual property tax bill. On a home assessed at $400,000 with a 2% effective tax rate, that comes to $8,000 per year. Because property tax rates vary significantly by state and county, your bill depends heavily on where you live.
Assessed value is not always the same as market value. In Georgia, for instance, homes are assessed at 40% of fair market value. A home worth $350,000 on the open market carries an assessed value of just $140,000 for tax purposes.
In Tennessee and many other states, assessment ratios differ by property class — residential, commercial, and agricultural properties are all assessed at different percentages. Research shows widespread regressivity in property tax assessments nationwide, meaning lower-value homes are often overassessed relative to higher-value ones.
Even a small overassessment compounds year after year. If your county overvalues your home by $30,000, you could be overpaying by $600 or more annually, every year the error persists. The important thing to understand is that assessments can be wrong, and every homeowner has the right to challenge them.
Your Neighbors Might Be Paying Less...
How to Tell if Your Property Tax Assessment Is Too High
Most homeowners never check whether their assessment is accurate. According to Ownwell's 2026 National Homeowner Survey, 74% of U.S. homeowners have never appealed their property tax bill. Of those who haven't, 57% didn't even know they had the right to. Meanwhile, 9 in 10 homeowners are concerned about the long-term financial impact of rising property taxes.
That gap between concern and action starts with a simple diagnostic. Here is how to tell if your assessment is too high:
Check your property record for factual errors. Pull your property record card from your county assessor's office or website. Look for wrong square footage, incorrect lot size, inaccurate bedroom or bathroom counts, outdated condition ratings, or a wrong year built. After processing over a million appeals, we have found that the most common errors are in property characteristics — wrong square footage, missing condition adjustments, or outdated descriptions.
Compare to comparable sales. Look at three to five recent sales of similar homes in your neighborhood. If they sold for less than your assessed value, you likely have a case. Focus on homes with similar square footage, age, and condition that sold within the last 6-12 months.
Compare to neighbors' assessments. Many counties publish assessment rolls online. If similar homes on your street are assessed significantly lower, that is evidence of unequal appraisal — a powerful argument in states like Texas.
Look at your assessment-to-sale ratio. If your assessed value exceeds what your home would realistically sell for today, the assessment is likely inflated. This is the simplest gut check: would a buyer pay what your county says your home is worth?
How to Lower Your Property Tax Assessment Step by Step
Once you have confirmed your assessment looks too high, the next move is filing a formal appeal (or protest, depending on your state). Here is the process, broken into four steps.
Step 1: Gather Your Evidence
Strong evidence is the difference between a successful appeal and a wasted afternoon. Before you file anything, collect these items:
Comparable sales (comps). Pull three to five recent sales from the last 6-12 months in your neighborhood. Look for homes with similar square footage, age, and condition. Sources include your county appraisal district website, Zillow, Redfin, or your real estate agent.
Your property record card. Get this from the county assessor's office or website. Flag any factual errors: wrong square footage, lot size, bedroom count, or condition rating.
Photos documenting condition issues. Photograph deferred maintenance, structural concerns, or needed repairs. A cracked foundation or aging roof is worth documenting.
Repair estimates. If you have contractor estimates for needed work, include them. Written estimates carry more weight than verbal claims.
Evidence of functional obsolescence. If your home has an outdated floor plan, sits near commercial or industrial zones, or has other factors that reduce its appeal, document those as well.
Step 2: Know Your Deadline and Terminology
Appeal windows are short, and missing yours means waiting another full year. Check your assessment notice for the filing deadline, which varies by state and county.
Terminology matters, too. In Texas, the process is called a "protest," not an "appeal." In New York, it is called a "grievance," and homeowners can file with the Assessment Review Commission (ARC) for an initial review, or escalate to a Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) hearing. In most other states, the standard term is "appeal."
For state-specific deadlines and procedures, check Texas property tax trends, New York property tax trends (or review New York's assessment process on the state's website), or your state's page on Ownwell's website (such as California, Florida, or Illinois).
Step 3: File Your Appeal (or Protest)
Most counties now allow online filing, though some still require a paper form or letter. In Texas, you can review the Texas Comptroller's property tax protest guide for the official process. The filing form typically asks for:
Your property ID or account number
The reason for your protest or appeal
Your requested value
Supporting evidence or documentation
Before the formal hearing, many jurisdictions offer an informal review — a preliminary meeting with the appraiser where you can present your evidence and negotiate. After processing over a million appeals, we have found that the majority of reductions are negotiated at this informal stage — formal hearings are far less common than homeowners expect.
One risk to note: in some states, including Georgia and Washington, a failed or poorly argued appeal can result in an increased assessed value. That is why evidence quality matters so much. On the upside, Georgia's Section 299c provides a three-year freeze on assessed value following a successful appeal, preventing the county from reassessing the property above the agreed value for that period.
Step 4: Present Your Case at the Hearing
If the informal review does not resolve your case, you will present at a formal hearing. The typical format is a 10-15-minute panel. Focus on numbers, not emotions — appraisal review boards respond to comparable sales data and factual errors.
In our experience, the cases that succeed at formal hearings lead with adjusted comps, not just raw sales, and preemptively address the assessor's likely counter-arguments.
Bring organized documentation:
Printed comparable sales with highlighted adjustments
Photos of condition issues or needed repairs
A one-page summary of your argument and the requested value
Keep your presentation focused and direct.
If the formal hearing does not go your way, most states allow escalation to binding arbitration or a further level of review. You have options beyond the first hearing.
Worked Example: Before and After an Appeal
What does a successful appeal actually look like in dollar terms? On a $420,000 home in Harris County, Texas, a successful protest could look like this:
Before Protest | After Protest | |
|---|---|---|
Assessed Value | $420,000 | $370,000 |
Effective Tax Rate | 2.1% | 2.1% |
Annual Property Tax Bill | $8,820 | $7,770 |
Annual Savings | — | $1,050 |
That $1,050 is not a one-time benefit. Once your assessed value is lowered, it carries forward to future tax years. Over five years, that is $5,250 in cumulative savings from a single protest.
How Much Are You Over Paying?
What Evidence Works Best in a Property Tax Appeal
Not all evidence is created equal. Based on Ownwell's experience across more than a million appeals, here is how the most persuasive evidence types rank:
Comparable sales. The strongest argument in any appeal. A good comp is in the same neighborhood, within 10-15% of your home's square footage, similar in age and condition, and sold within the last 12 months.
Factual property errors. Incorrect square footage, wrong bedroom count, or an outdated condition rating on your property record. These are the easiest wins.
Unequal appraisal (equity arguments). Unequal appraisal means your property is appraised at a higher value per square foot than comparable properties in your area. In states like Texas, you can argue that your home is assessed higher than similar properties, regardless of market value. This is a distinct legal basis for a reduction.
Condition-based adjustments. Photos and contractor estimates for deferred maintenance, structural issues, or needed repairs. Written documentation carries far more weight than verbal claims.
The cost of skipping this step is real. Ownwell's three-year study of seven major Texas counties found that homeowners who did not protest had a 10.91% higher market value than those who did, resulting in $2.02 billion in potential savings left on the table from 2022 to 2024. That gap compounds every year you sit out.
Other Ways to Lower Your Property Tax Bill
An appeal is not the only way to reduce what you owe. Several exemptions can lower your taxable value, and many homeowners miss ones they qualify for.
Homestead exemption. Available in more than 40 states, a homestead exemption reduces the taxable portion of your assessed value for primary residences. In New York, the statewide version is called the Basic STAR Exemption, which provides a reduction on school taxes for owner-occupied primary residences. Check your county's website to see if you have applied, because many eligible homeowners have not.
Senior, veteran, and disability exemptions. Most counties offer additional reductions for homeowners over 65, veterans, and people with disabilities. Eligibility rules vary, so check your county's exemption page.
State-specific exemption changes. Some states are expanding relief. In Georgia, the HOME Act (Senate Bill 33 / Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act) increased the statewide homestead exemption and introduced new protections for homeowners. Check whether your state has enacted recent property tax relief legislation.
Ownwell also offers property tax exemptions filing services, including retroactive filing for exemptions you may have missed in prior years. You can review Texas property tax trends or your state's trends page to see how rates and exemptions differ in your area.
Exemptions and appeals are not mutually exclusive. You can and should pursue both if you qualify.
DIY vs. Hiring a Professional: What to Consider
Should you handle your appeal yourself or bring in help? Here is how the two paths compare.
Do It Yourself | Hire a Professional | |
|---|---|---|
Cost | Free | Contingency fee (pay only if you save) |
Time Investment | 5-15 hours | Minimal — handled for you |
Evidence Quality | Depends on your research | Expert-level comps and analysis |
Success Rate | Varies widely | 57%-89% in major TX counties |
Risk in GA/WA | Higher (weak case = potential value increase) | Lower (evidence quality reduces risk) |
DIY appeals work well if you have clear factual errors or strong comps and the time to prepare. The risk is that a weak case wastes your time — or, in Georgia and Washington, can actually increase your assessed value.
Professional firms work on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing up front and only owe a fee if they save you money. According to Ownwell's analysis of 17 Texas counties from 2023 to 2025, win rates for property tax protests ranged from 57% to 89%, with most major metro counties above 80%.
After processing over a million appeals, we have found that the strongest cases combine comparable sales data with property-specific evidence.
How Ownwell Can Help
Ownwell manages the full property tax appeal (or protest) process end-to-end: paperwork, evidence gathering, negotiations, and attendance at hearings. You sign up, and the rest is handled for you.
The pricing model is straightforward: no upfront cost. Ownwell operates on a contingency basis, so you only pay if you save money. Ownwell customers report an 88% success rate, $774 in average annual savings, and a 4.7 rating across 3,000+ Google reviews.
Ownwell is currently active in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Texas, Washington, and Pennsylvania. Beyond property tax appeals, Ownwell also offers exemption filing, retroactive filing for missed exemptions, and home insurance monitoring.
You can review Ownwell's pricing to see how the contingency fee works. There is no risk: if Ownwell does not save you money, you pay nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Is a Property Tax Assessment Calculated?
Your local assessor estimates your property's market value based on recent sales, property characteristics, and location, then applies any applicable assessment ratios or exemptions. The resulting assessed value is multiplied by your local tax rate to determine your annual bill.
Can I Appeal My Property Taxes Every Year?
Yes. In most states, you can file an appeal or protest every year after your new assessment notice arrives. There is no limit on how many times you can challenge your assessment, and annual filing often yields the best long-term results because it prevents overvaluations from compounding.
How Long Does a Property Tax Appeal Take?
Most informal reviews are resolved within 30-90 days of filing. Formal hearings or escalations can take several months, though you continue paying your current bill during the process.
How Much Can I Save by Appealing My Property Taxes?
Savings depend on how much your home is overassessed and your local tax rate. Ownwell customers save an average of $774 per year. On a home overassessed by $50,000 at a 2% tax rate, that translates to $1,000 in annual savings.
What Happens if I Lose My Property Tax Appeal?
In most states, losing an appeal simply means your assessment stays the same. However, in Georgia and Washington, a review board can increase your assessed value if the evidence suggests your property was underassessed, so evidence quality is critical.
