Montgomery County
Homeowners
Property Taxes
Assessment Appeal
Your property tax bill is based on an assessment — and assessments are wrong more often than most homeowners realize. Here’s what you can do about it.
By HM Hoffman & Co. Appraisers | Montgomery County, PA | 5 min read
Every year, Montgomery County homeowners receive property tax bills calculated on an ad valorem assessment — a government determination of what your property is worth. When that number is accurate, the system works as intended. When it isn’t, you end up paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than you should — year after year, until someone pushes back.
If you believe your property has been overvalued, you have the right to appeal. And if you’re serious about winning that appeal, an independent, certified appraisal from HM Hoffman & Co. is the most persuasive evidence you can put in front of a review board.
What “ad valorem” means for your tax bill
Ad valorem is Latin for “according to value.” It means your property tax is calculated as a percentage of what the taxing authority believes your home is worth. If that assessed value is inflated — even modestly — you’re overpaying on every single tax bill until the assessment is corrected. In Montgomery County, where property values vary significantly from one municipality to the next, a blanket assessment can easily miss the mark on individual properties.
How a property tax assessment appeal works in Montgomery County
Assessment appeal procedures vary from one taxing jurisdiction to the next — there is no single universal process, even within Pennsylvania. This is one of the most important reasons to work with an appraisal firm that has specific experience in your local jurisdiction. What works in one township may not be the right approach in another.
Generally speaking, the process looks something like this:
Step 1 — Do your own research first
Before committing to a formal appeal, it makes sense to look at comparable sales in your area and get a sense of whether your assessment is genuinely out of line. Sometimes a simple phone call to your local taxing authority is enough to resolve a discrepancy. If it isn’t, that’s when a professional appraisal becomes your strongest tool.
Step 2 — Commission an independent appraisal
Under USPAP — the national standards governing all certified appraisers — we are required to conduct a fully independent evaluation from the ground up. We cannot simply adopt your research as our own. When you hire HM Hoffman & Co., we perform a complete, defensible appraisal of your property’s market value entirely on our own. That independence is precisely what makes the report credible to a review board — and more persuasive than anything you could present on your own behalf.
Step 3 — Present your case, with us beside you if needed
Many assessment appeals are resolved at the review stage with a written report alone. But if your case proceeds to a formal hearing, you may need your appraiser to appear and testify on your behalf. HM Hoffman & Co. is fully prepared to do exactly that — professionally, clearly, and persuasively. We know how to present appraisal evidence in a hearing context, and we’ve done it.
Why independence is your greatest asset in an appeal
A homeowner presenting their own comparable sales research carries limited weight with a review board — of course you think your home is overvalued, you have a financial interest in saying so. An independent, certified appraisal from a licensed professional with no stake in the outcome is an entirely different matter. It is objective, documented, USPAP-compliant evidence of value. That’s what moves assessment boards — and that’s what HM Hoffman & Co. delivers.
Is it worth pursuing an appeal?
That depends on the size of the discrepancy and the annual tax savings a successful appeal would produce. In many cases, the cost of a professional appraisal is recovered in the first year of reduced taxes alone — and the savings compound every year after that until the next reassessment cycle.
In Montgomery County, where property values and local tax rates vary widely across municipalities — from Lower Merion to Horsham to Pottstown — it’s worth a conversation to find out whether your assessment is likely out of line. We’re happy to discuss your situation before you commit to anything.
Think your Montgomery County property is overassessed?
Put HM Hoffman & Co.’s experience to work for you. We provide independent assessment appeal appraisals throughout Montgomery County and the greater Philadelphia area — and we can represent you at a hearing if it comes to that. Contact us today to discuss your situation with no obligation.