The first step in determining if you are paying too much real estate tax is too look up your property’s real estate tax assessment on the Delaware County Property Public Access. Website located at http://w01.co.delaware.pa.us/pa/publicaccess.asp?real.x=0&UAYN=I+Agree then enter your township or Borough and street number, street name and then left click on the folio number next to your address.
Multiply the current assessment by the 2011 Common Level Ratio of 1.56 to see what the County Fair Market Value is. Compare the County Fair Market Value to the Fair Market Value of your home. If The County Fair Market Value is $10,000 or more higher than the Fair Market Value you should hire Spadea & Associates, LLC to file a Real Estate Tax appeal by August 1, 2012.
Fair Market Value has been defined by the State Supreme Court as “the price in a competitive market a purchaser, willing but not obligated to buy, would pay on owner, willing but not obligated to sell, taking into consideration all the legal uses to which the property can be adapted and might reasonably be applied”
You must have an Appraisal to appeal the property tax assessment. The Cost of an Appraisal is $350 and the filing fee is $50 and is made payable to “Delaware County Treasurer”. This fee will not be refunded for failure to appear or withdrawal of the appeal. We will help you file the application and you pay us nothing if we are unable to reduce your assessment.
The Appeal hearing is scheduled 6 to 8 weeks after the appeal is filed but typically not before October 1st. Spadea & Associates, LLC will represent you at the hearing and present evidence such as a recent appraisal with pictures. The Board will determine the fair market value for the property based on the appraisal and other evidence presented at the hearing. The Board will then by statute, apply the appropriate Common Level Ratio (CLR) to the fair market value to arrive at the new assessed value.
The CLR is created by the Pennsylvania State Tax Equalization Board (STEB) on an annual basis for each county. The CLR is an average of assessments to sale prices (based upon valid sales activity in Delaware County for the prior calendar year). The CLR is applied only when the ratio varies by more than 15% from the 100% predetermined ratio. For more information on the Common Level Ratio go to http://www.steb.state.pa.us
In Delaware County, a 3 member Board of Assessment Appeals appointed by County Council conducts the hearings. The Board members serve 4-year terms, which are concurrent with the terms of the County Council. The Board has a chairman, vice chairman and a member. The Board generally renders a decision within 3-4 weeks of the hearing date and notifies the property owner in writing. In the case of annual appeals, no results will be mailed until November 15.
There are two types of assessment appeals, one is the annual appeal and the other is the interim assessment appeal. The annual appeal allows property owners have an opportunity to appeal their assessment once a year. Annual appeals may be filed from March 15 through August 1 of each year. Remember, in the case of an annual appeal, the Board decision does not take effect until tax bills are issued the following tax year. (e.g. November 15, 2011 for the 2012 tax year)
Spadea & Associates, LLC can help determine if you should file an annual appeal and give you a free consultation.
The interim assessment represents the value difference (increase) attributable to any assessable improvement to the land and the resulting increase in land value, if any. Assessable improvements include, but are not limited to; new construction of a primary structure or the addition to any such structure and the construction of any ancillary, contributory improvements such as swimming pools, sheds, garages, etc.
If a property is subject to an interim assessment, a property owner will receive an “Interim Real Estate Assessment Notice.” This Notice will inform the property owner of the old assessment and new assessment. The bottom portion of the Notice contains an APPEAL REQUEST FORM. In order to perfect an appeal of an Interim Assessment, the property owner must immediately return the bottom portion of the Interim Notice to the Assessment Office to request receipt of an Appeal Application.
The Appeal Application for an interim assessment must be filed within forty (40) days of the date of notification of the assessment change. The appeal date will be noted on the Interim Real Estate Assessment Appeal Notice at the top right and bottom right or this notice. Any change in the assessment due to an interim appeal is effective commencing with the interim effective date.
Contact Spadea & Associates, LLC in Ridley Park, PA
To file an interim appeal you should contact Spadea & Associates, LLC at 610-521-0604, immediately upon receipt of the Interim Notice.
If you do not agree with the Board’s findings you have the right to file an appeal within 30 days by contacting Spadea & Associates, LLC at 610-521-0604.
Comments are closed.