Step 1: Review your Notice of Tax Assessment carefully. If you believe the taxable value is too high, contact your local assessor and request a hearing before the Board of Review.  Most hearings begin the first week of March and continue for only a short time.  

Step 2: In advance of your meeting with the Board, identify properties in your neighborhood that you believe are comparable to yours. If practical, take photographs of these properties. Obtain as many as possible, but at least three. 

Step 3: Go to your local assessor’s office and request the (a) Plat Book, (b) Sales Map Index, (c) Book of Neighborhood Values by Address, (d) Valuation Record Indexed by Tax Item Number, and (e) Book of Property Transfer Affidavits. Use this information to complete a comparable study of other properties in your neighborhood and yours.    

Step 4: Perform a Comparable study of those similar homes in your immediate area to your own property. This will include comparing the taxable value of the other properties, comparable sales in the prior year, including for properties that are a similar type, size and other features. Make a photocopy of all the relevant documentation. Summarize your documentation in an easy to follow format.

Sept 5: Attend the Board of Review and be prepared with your documentation. You have roughly 5 minutes in front of the Board, which consists of people familiar with real estate values. 

Step 6: If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Board, you may continue your appeal to the Michigan Tax Tribunal.   You must appeal to the Board before going to the MTT (you cannot skip the Board of Review process).  Submit the letter of appeal to the MTT on or before June 30th, 2010.   

We can help you with the entire process. We have extensive experience dealing with property tax appeals and real estate valuations. Let us help you reduce your real estate taxes so you do not pay more than your fair share.