Helena Talbot’s blog – Are You Overpaying Your Property Taxes?

According to the American Homeowners Association, an average of 60 percent of homeowners are paying too much for their property taxes! No one likes to overpay, and overpaying on your property can be a serious setback. Below are several steps homeowner should take to investigate whether or not their property taxes can be lowered:

• First, get your detailed property tax assessment record online or from your assessor's office. It's possible your entire neighborhood has been over-assessed.

• Check with a real estate agent to get a solid understanding of what homes are currently selling for in your community. Professional agents will have the most up-to-date statistics on local market values.

• Check the accuracy of the details about your home used in your tax assessment. Determine if your property's size and description are accurate. Errors are commonly made in transferring data from paper to online. Make sure details like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms is correct and that any defects that could affect the value of your home - such as a leaky roof or cracked wall - are noted.

• If errors have made your assessment higher than it should be, try working informally with the assessor rather than going through a formal appeal process.

• If the correction cannot be made informally, you'll need to make a formal appeal. There may even be a process for appealing your taxes online. Keep in mind that there is usually a narrow window of opportunity in which to file an appeal. Some jurisdictions set aside a time every year to hear appeals, while others only consider appeals for a few months after your house has been reassessed, which is often not every year.

• Depending on your municipality, you might also be eligible for property-tax exemptions, which range from senior citizen and active-duty military exemptions to ones for those who own livestock.

Throughout the entire process, it's important that homeowners maintain fastidious records, and the proper documentation will be critical to supporting your case.

I specialize in helping buyers and sellers invest in real estate in Loudoun County and Northern Virginia.

I have over 25 years experience in the real estate industry.  As a Broker/Owner with Exit Realty Talbot and Company, I bring special tools and solutions that enable me to exceed the expectations of my clientele.  If you are considering listing your property in Loudoun County or the nearby areas, ask me about our latest internet marketing systems.  I would appreciate the opportunity to earn your business. 

 I am experienced in listing and selling short sales.  For information on the short sale process, please visit  www.LoudounShortSaleSolutions.com.

For a free market analysis on the value of your home, please visit http://www.LoudounHomeValues.com

My past awards and designations include – 2003 President of the Dulles Association of Realtors, 2003 Dulles Area Assoc Realtor of the Year, Salesperson of the year 2000 Dulles Area Assoc of Realtors,  Top Producer awards from both the Dulles Area Association and the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors.  I am a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network.

I have lived in Loudoun County since 1979.  I am married with two grown children and two grandchildren.  My son in law is my business partner in real estate.  I love to jog in the mornings and spend time relaxing on my Trawler during the summer months.

Loudoun County and Northern Virginia Real Estate Sales and Solutions – Helena Talbot, Broker. I specialize in helping buyers and sellers invest in real estate in the Northern Virginia area to include Loudoun County and surrounding areas including Fairfax, Clarke, Fauquier, Prince William  Counties.  Our local neighborhoods includeLeesburg, Ashburn, Sterling, Potomac Falls, Brambleton, Broadlands, Lansdowne, River Creek, Belmont Country Club, Beacon Hill, Shenstone, Waterford, Lovettsville, Purcellville, Hamilton, Round Hill and Bluemont.                        Cell 703.727.9885    Office 703.574.3800

Free iPhone/Android Mobile App to search Northern Virginia real estate.  2 easy ways to get the App:  Text “Exit9” to 87778 or enter http://87778.mobi/Exit9 into your browser.