Mike,
On number six, keep it short and simple- you can elaborate when you go to the meeting.
I just put "percent increased" on that answer.
Now here is where you want to be thorough. I have done this before and I know what the appraisers office wants. They want you to make things simple for them. They are guessing when they assess the value of your home from a quick 20 second drive-by. What you want to do is this:
- Video tape the interior of your home, focusing on any damage, foundation issues, carpet needing replaced, ceilings needing repaired, etc
- video tape your exterior, focusing on any wood damage, roof damage, drainage issues, old windows, patio damage, etc
- High-lite any issues that cannot be observed from the road like fences that need replaced, driveways that need repaired, etc
- if the basement is unfinished, show this in your video
The appraiser wants to see why your house is not as good on the inside and in other inconspicuous areas as it looked from the road. They know what the surrounding property is valued at, and they know what the mil levy increase for your area should be- this is not an arguable issue.
The only arguable issue is;
What is fair market value for your home? If you sold your home on the open market, what could you get for it? Now if you really want to bolster your case, call one of the appraisers in town and ask for a private appraisal. A residential home appraisal is $300. When did you buy your home? If it is within 3 years, you may be able to partially rely on the appraisal that was done at that time although it will not carry as much weight as a recent one.
The best thing you can do is to prepare yourself with video footage of your homes flaws and let them watch the video during your appeal on a little handheld camcorder. Be sure and narrate to describe what they are seeing as you are videoing.
The last time I appealed (3 years ago) my taxes where substantially reduced. It was way overvalued at the time and my home sold on the open market so they pretty much had to go down to the purchase price- plus I had 2 recent private appraisals listing the property at almost half of what they had appraised it for.
One other thing- put them on the defensive; make them tell you why they feel your house is worth 11% more than it was the previous year. Make them cite what improvements you have made that would equate to the increase, then be ready to debunk it with evidence of the cost of the project or a statement from a certified appraiser stating what (in dollars) this has added to the value of your home.
If you would be interested in speaking to an appraiser, I would call Kerry Trent @ 225-0870. He is one of the few honest appraisers around Dodge.
Good luck and don't sweat it. Most people that appeal their taxes, and have formulated a logical defense, do get some sort of adjustment.