Assessment Review and Grievance Support
We provide appraisals for tax grievance, guidance through the process, and direct discussion with assessors when productive. We contact owners only when our review identifies a credible over-assessment.
Most solicitations property owners receive about assessment grievance are mass mailings, sent without property-specific analysis. That is not our practice.
Our work begins with analysis, not outreach. We review the assessment, the property, and the market evidence before contacting the owner. If the assessment is defensible, we close the file. If it is not, we explain why in writing.
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Independent assessment review
We pull the parcel record, the most recent assessment, and recent comparable sales. We form an opinion of market value before we contact anyone.
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Outreach only when warranted
If the assessment looks defensible, we leave the property alone. If our review detects a credible over-assessment, we reach out to the owner directly with our reasoning.
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Engagement and full appraisal
If the owner engages us, we prepare an USPAP-compliant appraisal supporting the requested reduction.
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Discussion with the assessor
Where productive, we present the appraisal directly to the municipal assessor. Many cases are resolved at this stage without a Board of Assessment Review filing.
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Grievance and certiorari support
When a case proceeds to formal grievance or Article 7 certiorari, our appraisal evidence carries the case forward and we support counsel through resolution.
Frequently asked questions.
How is your approach different from the unsolicited mailings I receive?
We are appraisers, not solicitors. We only contact a property owner after our own review concludes that the assessment is likely too high. We do not blanket a town with mailers in the hope that some percentage will respond.
Do you work on a contingency fee?
Our appraisal work is performed for a fixed fee disclosed in the engagement letter. Contingent compensation creates pressure to advocate rather than appraise, and that is incompatible with USPAP.
Which counties do you handle tax certiorari work in?
Most actively in Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess, with selected work elsewhere in our coverage area. Filing rules and deadlines vary by municipality, and we coordinate timing closely with counsel.
What does the process cost?
It depends on the property type, the complexity of the analysis, and the scope of the engagement. We provide a written fee proposal before any work begins.
What if my assessment is fair?
We say so. We are not interested in pursuing cases the evidence does not support, and we will tell an owner directly when grievance is unlikely to produce a meaningful reduction.
Think you may be over-assessed?
Send the parcel and a sentence about the property. We will tell you whether we think a review is worth pursuing.