Property Tax Appeal Appraisals.
When your assessment doesn’t match reality, you need a number that holds up. That’s what I deliver.
You believe your property’s assessed value is too high. Maybe it’s been years since the last reassessment. Maybe a neighbor’s identical house is on the books for less. Either way, the appeal works the same way: you have to prove it. And to prove it, you need an independent appraisal — not a real estate agent’s CMA, not a Zillow estimate. An appraisal report, signed by a certified appraiser, that the Board of Assessment Appeals will actually accept.
That’s the report I prepare. Built to USPAP standards, in the format your county’s appeals board expects, with comparable sales that have been verified — not just pulled from a spreadsheet.
How It Works
Step by step, from first call to filed report.
Property address, current assessed value, the value you believe is more accurate, and your appeal deadline. I’ll confirm jurisdiction (county and municipality), check whether I’m a fit, and quote a flat fee.
Interior and exterior, 30–45 minutes for a typical home. I document condition, layout, and any features that affect value — including factors that may have been missed or misclassified on the original assessment.
I research comparable sales as of the relevant valuation date, verify them, and reconcile to a defensible value conclusion. The report is structured to the format the county Board of Assessment Appeals expects.
You (or your attorney) submit the report with the appeal. If the board pushes back, I’ll respond. If a hearing is scheduled and testimony is needed, I’m available.
It’s the standard of evidence boards expect
A Realtor’s CMA isn’t an appraisal. An online estimate isn’t an appraisal. The Board of Assessment Appeals knows the difference — and so does the county solicitor on the other side of the table.
USPAP compliance is non-negotiable
Reports prepared outside USPAP standards get challenged on procedure before anyone even looks at the number. Mine are built to survive that first line of attack.
Local comparables matter
A comparable from three towns over doesn’t help. I work the four counties around Narberth specifically because the market segments are tight and I can verify what I’m using.
Pennsylvania Counties Served for Tax Appeals
- Montgomery County (incl. Lower Merion, Cheltenham, Abington, Upper Merion)
- Delaware County (incl. Haverford, Radnor, Springfield)
- Philadelphia County
- Chester County (parts within 25 miles of Narberth)
FAQ
Common questions about tax appeal appraisals.
Technically, no — but practically, yes. You can file an appeal with whatever evidence you choose, but the Board of Assessment Appeals weighs a USPAP-compliant appraisal report far more heavily than a Realtor’s market analysis or an online estimate. If you want a real shot at winning, an appraisal is the standard of evidence.
It depends on how far off your assessment is from market value and your local millage rate. A successful appeal that reduces an assessment by $50,000 in a township with a 25-mill rate saves roughly $1,250 a year — every year, until the next reassessment. Over five or ten years, the math adds up fast.
Each PA county has its own filing window. Most counties accept assessment appeals annually within a specific window (often August–September for the following tax year), with shorter windows after reassessment notices are mailed. Confirm your county’s deadline before you start — once it closes, you wait a year.
A CMA (comparative market analysis) is a sales tool — it estimates what a home might list for. An appraisal is a regulated valuation — performed by a licensed appraiser, prepared to USPAP standards, with documented comparables and adjustments. Boards of Assessment Appeals accept appraisals. They generally don’t accept CMAs as primary evidence.
Yes. Most appeals settle on the report alone, but if your case requires a hearing, I’m available to appear and testify. The report I deliver and the testimony I give will line up — because I prepared both.
Absolutely — and that’s how a lot of these go. I prepare the appraisal report; your attorney handles the filing, deadlines, and any legal arguments. Many of my tax appeal engagements come directly from attorneys who’ve worked with me before.
Related Services
Estate & Date-of-Death Appraisals
When the property is part of an inheritance valuation.
Filing deadline coming up?
Tell me your county and your timeline. Flat fee quote within one business day.