Have you been shocked or dissatisfied with the recent valuation of your property?

If so, now is the time to ask questions or file a dispute.

Karen Stiles of the TODAY’S TMJ4 Call For Action office has more information on how big of a problem this is, and what you can do.

The Call For Action office gets a lot of calls on this ever year, and sometimes the assessment is wrong, but quite often, it’s right.

However, if you disagree with the assessment of your property, don’t wait until it’s time to pay your taxes. You have to ask questions now and file a dispute, usually by mid-May.

If you wait until you get your tax bill, it’s too late.

Before you file a dispute for your assessment, it’s a good idea to contact the assessors’ office to review the information that was used for making the assessment. Sometimes, the information about your property or comparable properties may not be accurate. Or, you might learn that homes in your area are selling for more than you thought.

However, if you choose to file a dispute, make sure that you: file in writing prior to the deadline and include as much documentation as possible that supports your dispute, such as information about comparable homes in your neighborhood or costs for repairs and updates.

If you file a dispute and get turned down, you can also file and appeal with the circuit court, but their decision is going to be based on the information and documentation that was used in your initial dispute. So, it’s really important that you do a good job of supplying as much information and documentation as you can in your initial dispute.