Interim Real Estate Assessment Appeal

[johnfisher]

First, the county does the assessments, not the township so this is pretty much out of Township's hands.

If you have received an Interim Assessment Notice, this information may help you appeal the new assessment – you have a chance to prevent your taxes from increasing under the interim appeal.

The trigger for assessments occurs when a permit is issued for new construction or improvements. The interim will represent the increase in property value attributable to the improvement to your property. Assessable improvements usually are related to new construction of a home, an addition to an existing home or construction of ancillary things like swimming pools, sheds and garages. If you converted an existing space to new use (i.e. garage to den) then it would be easy to prove that the new use is not more valuable. If you improved an existing space like a kitchen, there may not be an assessable increase in value. The assessments are based on improvements to the land so replacing a kitchen isn’t necessarily an improvement to the land over the existing kitchen.

If you have just completed construction/improvements, you can probably demonstrate at least 2-3 other properties in the neighborhood that already have your type of improvement and have an assessment that is equal or even lower than your current assessment. Annual appeals must be filed by August 1 but the Appeal Application for an interim assessment must be filed within forty (40) days of the date of notification of the assessment change. I have attached the application and also see the Board of Assessment Appeals at http://www.co.delaware.pa.us/treasurer/boa.html

You may want to hire an attorney to represent you and file the appeal – make sure the lawyer is on the Bar of Delaware County and specializes in real estate assessments. See the http://www.delcobar.org/ website for referrals.

You should call and file the appeal with the Assessment Office at: 201 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063, Phone 610-891-4879