A year ago this month, a property owner in Upstate NY received a notice from the assessor that her assessment increased from a full market value of $175,926 to $333,093.
This Case Study outlines the long process taken – starting with the homeowner's initial meeting with the assessor – and going all the way to a Small Claims Assessment Review with the Supreme Court for the State of New York. To fight for what she knew was right, the homeowner hired a consultant, Warren Leisenring. The process took a year. It reveals how the lack of adequate training provided for Assessors, Boards of Assessment Review, and SCAR Hearing Officers directly affects property owners. In this case, it cost the owner thousands of dollars in additional taxes that could not be recovered.
By Warren Leisenring Jr., a consultant for the Tax My Property Fairly website and an 11-year member of a Board of Assessment Review (BAR) in Upstate NY. We thank him for sharing this with our readers, to help give property owners some insight as to what to expect and how to prepare their grievances.