A property tax assessment is an opinion of value, and opinions can be contested. In fast-appreciating Forsyth County, assessments frequently lag or overshoot actual market conditions.
The basics
Georgia assesses property at 40 percent of fair market value. Your bill is that assessed value multiplied by the local millage rate, less any exemptions you qualify for.
The deadline is the whole game
Annual assessment notices are mailed in the spring, and the appeal window is short and strictly enforced. A well-supported appeal filed one day late is simply not heard.
What persuades
Not a sense of unfairness. Closed comparable sales near the January 1 valuation date, documented condition issues with photographs and contractor estimates, and errors in the county's own record of your home's square footage or features.
Homestead exemption
If this is your primary residence and you have not filed for homestead exemption, that is usually a larger and easier saving than an appeal.
This article is general information about the assessment process and is not tax or legal advice.
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