how do i contest property taxes in walton county?

Your purchase will become the new value. So yes, they should.

2009 taxes will be based on your value as of Jan. 1, so the timing will probably be in your favor.

You will be notified I believe in August about your assessed value for 2009 (this is about two months before they actually mail the bill). You have 25 days to file an appeal with the county if you believe the assessment is in error.

If you are homesteading, don't forget to turn in the proper paperwork to the county. I believe that deadline is March 1.

i closed after jan 1st so i'm i screwed for 2009? will i have to appeal?also i live out of state and this is a second home so i can't get homestead can i? do out of state home owners apply for homestead and get it? don't they ask for a copy of your license so if you're out of state you can't get?thanks

I wouldn't worry about whether or not they will take the sale into account. They will.

Under no circumstances is it legal for you to apply for a homestead exemption unless it is your primary residence. The fact that your mailing address is out of state would probably tip them off. :roll:

so tampa i should just wait till i see the assessment in the mail in july and go from there? no need to contest till i see that right?

Exactly. I think you may be able to see the assessed value online at waltonpa.com a couple of weeks before the notices go out.

Once the notices are out, you will have only 25 days to appeal -- they are very strict. It may also help you to track comp sales so you can tell whether your sale is in line with others in the area. I'm sure you would also be helped by the fact that you went under contract (I'm assuming) to buy the house before Jan. 1.

But I would not worry too much, as Bobby J indicates. They lowered assessments on a bunch of property last year so yours will probably drop automatically.

i closed after jan 1st so i'm i screwed for 2009? will i have to appeal?also i live out of state and this is a second home so i can't get homestead can i? do out of state home owners apply for homestead and get it? don't they ask for a copy of your license so if you're out of state you can't get?thanks

No you can't. It is incredibly illegal.

Homestead = the home you live in, not vacation in.

Your purchase will become the new value. So yes, they should.

"Chasing sales" is legal in Florida?? It's a big no-no in Ga as of today but may change soon due to pending legislation.
Keep in mind, If you appeal, the County can also raise the assessment and subpoena lots of different knids of records (at least in Ga.)

Welcome to the Walton County Florida Property Appraiser's Website

Click on 'Proposed Taxes' on the left.

great point clintclint. There is a chance that the assessed value to increase in the protest, but given the current market, I doubt it, unless you were originally under-assessed.

BTW, brandon12, property taxes are paid in arrears, so it doesn't matter that you purchased prior to Jan 1, 2009. TooFarTampa has given you some good info.

great point clintclint. There is a chance that the assessed value to increase in the protest, but given the current market, I doubt it, unless you were originally under-assessed.

BTW, brandon12, property taxes are paid in arrears, so it doesn't matter that you purchased prior to Jan 1, 2009. TooFarTampa has given you some good info.

Again I can only speak for Ga., but these appeals are sworn statements by the property owners. If you are an a$$ to the County office and make a misstatement on that appeal, you are very vulnerable to potential retribution. If your sale was not an arms length transaction at fair market value, then be careful.
On the other hand, if the County is not forthcoming, file a freedom of information request--- but you better have all you i's dotted and t's crossed in your financial dealings.
The homeowner's watchdog is the Audit division for property taxes at the State level. Every county has it's assessed values audited to insure they are within an acceptable deviation from the correct market value (using best availble data and applied to the State's valuation metrics). This Audit Division holds all the cards because they say whether the County's Tax Digest is accurate and acceptable to the State. Without and accepted Digest by the State, the County cannot send out tax bills to the property owners.

i just called the county office. yes in arrears. tax assements that come out in july are for the 2008 year. they will come down hard but i stole a house way under neighborhood comps and i'll have to wait to see how they assess in 2010 for the 2009 year.thanks to all

i recently bought a home in walton county thats a good 30% under the accessed tax value for 2008. my taxes at closing were set up on the 2008 assessment.my question is exactly what steps do i need to do to contest this to get them lowered? i believe the new tax values come out in april or so and are mailed in oct. my question is will the county see that i paid 30% less than the previous years assessment and lower my property taxes to around what i paid ?are do i need to file an appeal immediately and show my closing hud statement of my sales price? all help on the steps to take appreciated.

Good luck cause Walton County will kill you with their current tax formula, especially if you live out of state. All I can say is that property taxes sure went up faster than they have gone down! In many ways this property tax issue has "killed the goose that laid the golden egg" along with the entire real estate market. Just remember, "Flying saucers are nothing but taxpayers blowing their tops."

Property taxes has done little to effect the current market. I see about half the homes undervalued and overvalued according to the property appraiser's site. High inventory and inflated prices is what killed this market, not property taxes.

Tax liens will replace foreclosures in the not too distant future IMO.

Property taxes has done little to effect the current market. I see about half the homes undervalued and overvalued according to the property appraiser's site. High inventory and inflated prices is what killed this market, not property taxes.

Josh, I will personally give you an example of how this contributes to high inventory. Right now, I would be buying additional property down there, but because of high taxes, I want even consider it or even recommend my friends to do the same. When I look at investment property, I look at taxes cause they calculate in the cost of my over head. The Walton County appraiser office counts the square footage of decks in its assessments formula. So if you have a 1,000 square foot house with 3,000 square foot of out door deck, they are going to appraise you at 4,000 feet. I know this cause I have a 3,000 foot home with 1,000 foot of decking and being charged as if its 4,000 feet, which in my opinion is 25% higher than it should be! When my tax bill is higher than the cost of my insurance, there is a problem. You have lots that now sale at 1990 prices, but those of us who own lots next door they are only droping them 5% off 2003 prices. That my friend is a contributory factor as to why there is still high inventory. Until the tax appraiser office realizes its part of the problem, sales are going to be slow.

Josh, I will personally give you an example of how this contributes to high inventory. Right now, I would be buying additional property down there, but because of high taxes, I want even consider it or even recommend my friends to do the same. When I look at investment property, I look at taxes cause they calculate in the cost of my over head. The Walton County appraiser office counts the square footage of decks in its assessments formula. So if you have a 1,000 square foot house with 3,000 square foot of out door deck, they are going to appraise you at 4,000 feet. I know this cause I have a 3,000 foot home with 1,000 foot of decking and being charged as if its 4,000 feet, which in my opinion is 25% higher than it should be! When my tax bill is higher than the cost of my insurance, there is a problem. You have lots that now sale at 1990 prices, but those of us who own lots next door they are only droping them 5% off 2003 prices. That my friend is a contributory factor as to why there is still high inventory. Until the tax appraiser office realizes its part of the problem, sales are going to be slow.

Whatever the information the property appraiser has on your home (ie square footage), what you are assessed for is based on your home's market value -- period. That's the way it works all over the state. So are you saying your assessed value is not in line with the true market value? In general, the figure I always hear is you are going to get an assessed value from the property appraiser of about 80 percent of what you actually could sell it for. As far as I can tell that is kind of an unwritten rule.

What Walton County can control to some degree is millage rates. Those rates are pretty low in general and from what I understand cannot go over 10 for an unincorporated area. Let me tell you that taxes are MUCH higher in incorporated cities. When you look at Florida coastal property taxes as a whole, Walton County is a steal.

When your taxes rose rapidly during the boom, it was because you do not have a homestead exemption and thus your assessed value went way up with the market. Again, that is state law and not controlled by the county.

I am curious, what are taxes like where you live?

Whatever the information the property appraiser has on your home (ie square footage), what you are assessed for is based on your home's market value -- period. That's the way it works all over the state. So are you saying your assessed value is not in line with the true market value? In general, the figure I always hear is you are going to get an assessed value from the property appraiser of about 80 percent of what you actually could sell it for. As far as I can tell that is kind of an unwritten rule.

What Walton County can control to some degree is millage rates. Those rates are pretty low in general and from what I understand cannot go over 10 for an unincorporated area. Let me tell you that taxes are MUCH higher in incorporated cities. When you look at Florida coastal property taxes as a whole, Walton County is a steal.

When your taxes rose rapidly during the boom, it was because you do not have a homestead exemption and thus your assessed value went way up with the market. Again, that is state law and not controlled by the county.

I am curious, what are taxes like where you live?

My taxes here in Birmingham, Alabama are "half" of what I am paying down there. Like I said the Florida tax formula is screwed up. Prior to 2003 it was reasonable, but not sense then. I have owned property down there for 10 years, and I am telling you property taxes are going down way to slow and is not in line with current market values. This is killing your real estate market down there and probably the whole state of Florida. When lots around me are selling at 1990 prices and the tax appraiser is keeping my property at 2003-04 values, there is a problem. I don't have one property with this problem but five! This year I will be camping out at his office.

FFF, you can appeal to the property appraiser to lower the value of your home. Thousands did it last year in Bay County. :wave:

fly, the thing to remember is that Alabama property tax rates are insanely low compared to the rest of the country and are not reflective of reality for 95% of the population of the United States. My sister couldn't believe how low the taxes are for the family condo in Miramar Beach compare to what they were on her wee co-op in Queens when she lived in NYC.

FFF, you can appeal to the property appraiser to lower the value of your home. Thousands did it last year in Bay County. :wave:

Not going to even waste my time making single phone call this year. I am planing on camping outside the property tax appraiser's office in 2009 with a stack of real estate comps sales. The reality is I should not even have to go to that extreme or waste a day out of the office. If I were a contractor or RE agent, I would be pressing the county to lower property taxes across the board down to mid 1990's levels cause that is where real estate values are heading unless they get more aggressive with reductions. One of the past appeals to investors use to be low property taxes along the panhandle, and that is just no longer the case.

Not going to even waste my time making single phone call this year. I am planing on camping outside the property tax appraiser's office in 2009 with a stack of real estate comps sales. The reality is I should not even have to go to that extreme or waste a day out of the office. If I were a contractor or RE agent, I would be pressing the county to lower property taxes across the board down to mid 1990's levels cause that is where real estate values are heading unless they get more aggressive with reductions. One of the appeals to investors have been low property taxes along the panhandle, and that is just no longer the case.

Making a phone call or camping out will not get you a lower assessment. There is a form to fill out if you are unhappy with your assessment when it comes out in late summer. That stack of comp sales will help you as well. You may have to make a phone call in order to get that form sent to you, or multiples thereof. :wave: Remember you will have 25 days to appeal.

Beachmouse -- I think you hit the nail on the head.

Making a phone call or camping out will not get you a lower assessment. There is a form to fill out if you are unhappy with your assessment when it comes out in late summer. That stack of comp sales will help you as well. You may have to make a phone call in order to get that form sent to you, or multiples thereof. :wave: Remember you will have 25 days to appeal.

Beachmouse -- I think you hit the nail on the head.

Tampa, thanks for the heads up. Twenty five days is not a lot of time with the speed our mail moves. I have had a couple of discussions with the tax assessors office (past the deadline) and I guess he forgot to inform me about a formal form. Going to redial and request a dozen just in case I need them. Thanks again.

Tampa, thanks for the heads up. Twenty five days is not a lot of time with the speed our mail moves. I have had a couple of discussions with the tax assessors office (past the deadline) and I guess he forgot to inform me about a formal form. Going to redial and request a dozen just in case I need them. Thanks again.

The Assessor's office cannot defend their assessment at a Board of Equalization hearing if the property has been offered for sale at a lower price, under a listing agreement for an adequate time period( I'm guessing maybe 9 months in today's market )

The Assessor's office cannot defend their assessment at a Board of Equalization hearing if the property has been offered for sale at a lower price, under a listing agreement for an adequate time period( I'm guessing maybe 9 months in today's market )

One would assume you can't refuse offers made on that lower price correct? Otherwise every house in Walton county will go up for sale for $1.00 and just refuse the offers.