Charles County Property Taxes

[NBF]

Has anyone successfully arm wrestled Chuck County in their property taxes and if so, how did you go about it? With all of this growth you would think your property taxes might go down but it seems otherwise. I’m not an economist but maybe I’m hoping too much.
NBF

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

Property taxes will never go down except at the margins. You will have to appeal based on your assertion that your house is over valued by the State (the Department of Assessments and Taxation tells the Counties, and Towns, the assessable base value).

Here's something about "growth"-residential growth is the worst type. Every house built puts X kids into the school system (I forget the number now but it's something like 1.2 kids/residence) and educating each of those kids costs, let's say, $14000/year. Your property taxes only cover about, maybe, $4000 of that. That's not counting all the other services the County (police, fire, roads, etc.) so every house is in reality a net cost.

That's why Counties push commercial development so hard but no business will open without the population to support it so residential has to come first. Over 55 developments are the brass ring-retirees with no kids and disposable income.

 

[NBF]

Thank you for your explanation. I don't have a problem making my contribution based on fair market values. As we know, around 2005 in this area many people bought at the height of the market and that bubble popped leaving many people with underwater mortgages. Wonder if an up to date appraisal would be worth doing.

Have a great day.

NBF

 

[LightRoasted]

If I may ...

Has anyone successfully arm wrestled Chuck County in their property taxes and if so, how did you go about it? With all of this growth you would think your property taxes might go down but it seems otherwise. I’m not an economist but maybe I’m hoping too much. NBF

There are three ways to challenge your property assessment.

1. Upon receipt of an assessment notice;
2. By a petition for review; and
3. Upon purchase of property between January 1 and June 30.

Once you get your triennial assessment for your property, you have 45 days in which to challenge the assessment. Fill out the form and send in back to the State Assessors office. You can choose to have them re-evaluate the assessment either with a personal hearing, (a hearing appointment will be made), a phone hearing, or a written appeal. (I always do the in person route. That way questions can be asked, face-to-face about methodology, etc..) If you are still not satisfied with their assessment you can appeal that decision. A date will be set for you to appear before a Property Tax Assessment Appeal Board, (individuals appointed by by the Governor with input from each local jurisdiction). If still not satisfied with a decision form the Appeal Board, the third and final step is Maryland Tax Court. (The free ones. You could go to a higher level of appeal, to the courts, but will require a lawyer). For this appeal, you must appear in person. If you've made it this far, you must supply all evidence as to why you think the assessment should be lowered, as nothing prior to this appeal, from the first two appeals, is considered. Do your own research, get comparable sales of properties as nearly exactly to your property within your property's area, say about a 5 to 10 mile radius. Look online for those 'like' properties and compare the assessments. Visit, drive by, and look at the condition of those properties. Argue the condition of your property, such as 30 year old leaking roof, no HVAC unit, only baseboard heat, interior of house never updated from the 50's, 60's, or 70's, never modernized, etc.. In essence, though you may love your home, you kinda want to make it appear decrepit, but livable. The State may send an appraiser out to do a more through and complete appraisal for determination.

For more information ... https://dat.maryland.gov/realproperty/Pages/Assessment-Appeal-Process.aspx

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

Thank you for your explanation. I don't have a problem making my contribution based on fair market values. As we know, around 2005 in this area many people bought at the height of the market and that bubble popped leaving many people with underwater mortgages. Wonder if an up to date appraisal would be worth doing.

Have a great day.

NBF

An updated appraisal might be worthwhile, especially since it relies on comps you would use as evidence. But keep in mind that the State has had about four rounds of reassessments since 2005 and those did go down (not as fast as they went up).

I don't know when you bought your house but if it's fairly recently, and you bought from a long time owner who had been under the Homestead Exemption which limits assessment increases, the assessed value was probably a lot less than what you paid. What you paid becomes the new assessable base.

One other thing you need to check is whether your house is listed as owner occupied so it comes under the Homestead Exemption for limiting assessment increases.

You can check that here:

Full Width Simple

An official website of the State of Maryland.

sdat.dat.maryland.gov

If your house is not listed as owner occupied there's a link to an online form where you can change that.

 

[NBF]

LightRoasted, NorthBeachPers, thank you both for your in-depth advice. I will look into the issues you both brought up. Great information to go by.

NBF

 

[Gilligan]

I don't know when you bought your house but if it's fairly recently, and you bought from a long time owner who had been under the Homestead Exemption which limits assessment increases, the assessed value was probably a lot less than what you paid. What you paid becomes the new assessable base.
.

An important point ^ he makes. When the state's assessment of my property ( and most people's property) peaked in 2007/2008, it was far above the taxed value. Recent assessments lowered the total assesed value considerably, but ...those numbers are STILL higher than the taxed value, so the taxes I pay still keep notching up the legally limited increment..year after year. ;-(