The Santa Clara County Tax Assessor’s office, District Attorney, and the California State Attorney General are warning homeowners to beware of unscrupulous companies who offer to lower property tax bills. The scam is that the services these companies offer (for hundreds of dollars) are available to any homeowner for no charge.

With the housing market on the decline, many homeowners are starting to worry about how they’ll pay their coming property tax bills, and whether their taxes will be assessed fairly. If the home’s value has declined below its purchase price, the homeowner is liable only for taxes on the current value (as of January 1). The Tax Assessor’s office will be reviewing records on about 200,000 of homes around the county to ensure their assessed values are up to date, and mailing assessed value notification postcards to property owners in June. Owners who disagree with the assessed value at that time can appeal the value at the assessor’s office, either with an informal enquiry, or with a formal appeal. Only the formal appeal costs money, a mere $30 processing fee.

Assessor Lawrence Stone has written a letter to the community:

I send this e-mail to alert you to mass mailings from private companies soliciting payment for a service offered by my office AT NO CHARGE. I ask that you forward this e-mail to your staff. All recipients are free to share this information with their families and friends. I know the following five companies are soliciting Santa Clara County residents as well as the residences of many, if not all, other counties in California.

Homeowner’s Tax Review (HTR) –Pasadena
Lowermypropertytaxes.com
Property Tax Reassessment – LA
Property Tax Assessment Adjusters – San Diego
ProperTax Appeal Professionals
Wofford Property Management – Livermore

First, and most important, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY A FEE TO REQUEST A REVIEW OF YOUR ASSESSED VALUE TO DETERMINE IF A REDUCTION IS IN ORDER. We have a substantial amount of information on our website, www.sccassessor.org/prop8, concerning temporary reductions in assessed value, which can result in lower property taxes, important information in these distressing economic times.

Following is a brief summary:

• • My staff is in the process of reviewing approximately 200,000 properties to determine whether a temporary reduction in assessed value is necessary.

• • Whether you get a reduction or not, is entirely dependent on what the value of the property was on January 1, 2009. The more recently you purchased the property, the more likely you are entitled to a reduction. Ask yourself this question: “Could I have sold the property on January 1, 2009 for what I paid for it?” If you could get at least that amount or more, you are not eligible for a reduction.

• • In late June, I will mail assessment notification postcards to every property owner in Santa Clara County letting them know the assessed value of their property as of January 1, 2009. If we have made a temporary reduction, it will be shown on the card. If you received a reduction but think that the assessment is still higher than the market value, or if you didn’t get a reduction and think the assessed value is high (i.e. you could not sell it for that value or more), please contact our office, preferably through our web-site (www.sccassessor.org/prop8) and request an informal review of your assessment. We will try to review and respond to all requests by August 15. If you are not satisfied with the results of the review, you may file a formal application for appeal.

• • Appeal Applications must be filed directly with the Clerk of the Assessment Appeals Board between July 2 and September 15. The Clerk cannot legally accept an application before July 2 or after September 15. (The exception is if you are appealing a Notice of Supplemental Assessment, Notice of Escape Assessment or Notice of Corrected Assessment). The Clerk of the Board charges a processing fee of $30 which must be paid directly to the Clerk for each Application for Changed Assessment filed. The Assessment Appeals Board is independent of the Assessor’s Office.

• • I do not believe there is any advantage to paying a “for-profit” business to either request a review with my office, or file a formal application for changed assessment with the Clerk of the Assessment Appeals Board. Of course, whether you do or not is entirely up to you.

Thank you. I appreciate your assistance in disseminating this information.

Lawrence E. Stone
Assessor