IDEA: Hire a property tax protest firm to fight valuations: you are not qualified nor do you see and talk to those tax officials every day at the county tax office.

You are most likely not qualified to protest your own property taxes.  It is not that you cannot, but you do not do it every day of the year.  You want to minimize this annual tax as much as possible but you are limited.  Here are some ideas to consider before you try to do it yourself.

Suggestions for selecting a property protest firm:

• Property protest firms analyze tax bills and assigned market values every day.  They are familiar with what works and what does not work.  They know the people who make decisions and how they react to submissions.
• They know the legal procedures, deadlines and the paperwork to file and documents to submit for supporting evidence of their claims.
• They know the government officials. They have probably spoken with them several days a week for years. They know their quirks.  They know what they will accept and what does not work.
• They witness other people who win and lose and what was determined as successful and which proposals fail.
• They know exemptions and exceptions to the law and how situations are handled that are not defined by law.
• If you have multiple locations to fight, they have organizations in each one of them.  You do not.
• They review tax bills every day.  You attempt to do it once per year.
• They know how to file annual renditions (if required in your state or county) and know what will normally be accepted.
• They know how to tell you to be prepared if questioned about your declared value of your real estate and tangible property.
• They know all of the properties that have sold in your area that help to justify your argument for a lower market value.
• You can ask them before yearend what to do to cut property taxes so your renditions (declarations of values) are lower the following year.  You need advice so go hire an expert and go back to running your business.