High Property Taxes Confuse Homeowners

PHOENIX - Home values are way down, so why are some people seeing their property taxes go up? Some homeowners are getting lawyers to appeal the hikes.

Some homeowners who feel like the county has valued their home way too high are heading to court.

Kevin Harden with the Mortgage Mediation Group says that new homeowners who recently bought a foreclosed home or short sale are seeing property tax values that are way off. 

"Odds are, that house is probably being valued on a tax-assessed basis, greater than the purchase price you paid for that house," he says.

Harden says if it is too late to appeal directly to the county, you could file suit.

Harden says one of his clients' recently got his home's assessed value dropped by $300,000. But the county assessor's office says a situation like that isn't the norm.

Anyone thinking about challenging their assessed value in court needs to determine if it's worth it. The bigger the difference between your home's market value and the assessed value, the bigger the tax savings.

"I would say anybody buying a short sale is somebody who needs to look up their property taxes."

You have until April 13 to appeal your 2011 evaluation directly to the county. After that deadline passes, your next option is to file suit.