Home Buyers Relocation’s Weblog

About the “Real Estate Tax Equalization Process”  in Madison

Recently, the owners of every parcel of real estate in Madison

First, this is in response to state-managed reviews, township by township, which claim that properties have been, on the average, under-assessed, hence the need for the adjustment, across the board to every parcel.  It’s a process that’s legally required in the state of Illinois “quadrennially”…every 4 years.  It’s performed under state supervision by the County

So what can one do?   The fact is, for this kind of assessment, not a lot.  Ordinary procedures for protesting individual assessments don’t apply here, although they might still be invoked if the overall assessment is simply deemed too high.  Ordinarly, these protests are made on individual parcels after the Assessor does his job and reports to the owner, where objections are somewhat easily filed with The Board of Review itself.  But this equalization process is not in that “ordinary” category. Here, the Board of Review is leveling the “Equalization Factor” against every single property; (In fact, The Board of Review by doing this is indirectly criticizing the Assessor as not having done his job properly…hence the need for the overall adjustment.)  And that makes a great deal of difference in how objections are made: Since The Board of Review is applying the state imposed “Equalization Factor”, an individual owner cannot file an objection with the local board for that reason.  It instead must be done directly with a state agency called, “The Property Tax Appeal Board”, (web site: www.state.il.us/agency/ptab, which web address is on the back of the card.) And the complaint there can only be with the “Tax Equalization Factor” set.  That agency is not prepared to deal with individual assessments otherwise.  In my mind, that makes it nearly impossible, surely improbable, for individuals to win, (visualizing Don Quixote’s “Windmill Tilting”.)   I anticipate that the local Board of Review would also discourage you from making this appeal. 

So this “bottom line”:  Individuals should work through the math and see how it affects them.  Take the assessed value after the equalization factor is applied and multiply it times 3, (because assessed values are 1/3 of real.)  Compare that number with what you’ve paid for the home, or what you think the home is really worth.  In the several cases I’ve worked through, these new assessed values, after “equalization”, are still a bit under the purchase price, making it difficult to lodge an objection.  However if the new assessed value is substantially higher, than I would still go to The Board of Review and file an appeal, (not for the equalization factor, but just because it’s overall, too high.)  You would then need to prepare a presentation for the Board of Review based on “comparables” (valuations of homes equal to yours,) in the ordinary way in which taxes are challenged.  We can help you with this. Sometimes, a “Realtor’s Opinion” will help, (but probably not ours, if we helped you buy the home.)  A purchased appraisal might also help.  We could help select that help. Your protest should be filed with the County

The following is a verbatim copy of an article that originally appeared in the wall street journal (in ‘Smart money’).  It’s presented here because it has good advice for 1st time home buyers, but it also, in paragraph 4, advises they should use an “Exclusive buyer agent”, and links to the national association of exclusive buyer agents, (in paragraph 4.) That’s significant because merrill was a founding member of this organization, its first treasurer and its fourth president.  (Also see “About us” for more detail.) 

Deal of the Day by Deal of the Day by Lisa Scherzer (Author Archive) 10 Mistakes First-Time Home Buyers MakeThe declining home values that are plaguing homeowners are just one of the factors creating an opportunity for prospective home buyers. Standard & Poor’s latest Case-Shiller index, which tracks home prices across 20 major U.S. cities, reported that values dropped 19% in January from a year earlier.Those depressed values, combined with near-record-low mortgage rates and government incentives (an $8,000 first-time home buyers’ tax credit included in the stimulus bill), are luring more first-time home buyers into the market. Indeed, a recent Century 21 Real Estate survey found that more than three-quarters (78%) of potential first-time home buyers say now is a good time to buy.If you agree, be aware that buying a home comes with plenty of potential missteps. Here are 10 all-too-common mistakes first-timers make.

1. Not knowing how much house you can afford.Many novice home buyers spend a lot of time researching homes – comparing kitchen layouts and backyard square footage – but very little time researching their financing options. One of the first things buyers should do is talk to a qualified lender and get pre-approved for a mortgage, says Claire Clark, senior vice president of business development at Prudential California Realty. Without first figuring out how much house you can afford, you risk falling in love with one you can’t.

2. Assuming foreclosures are great deals. Just because the previous owner owed $450,000 on a house before the bank took it over doesn’t mean it’s worth that much now. Values have slipped significantly, says Jay Michael, partner at Estate Property Group, a

4. Failing to find a good buyer’s agent. Landing a mortgage is tough these days. So buyers should rely heavily on knowledgeable agents to help them get their finances in order, says Michael. After all, buyer’s agents have a fiduciary responsibility to the buyer exclusively — and should be looking out for their best interests. Start your search at the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents, a nonprofit representing buyers (exclusively.) Or consider using an agent recommended by a relative or friend. Interview each candidate about their experience, if they’ve worked with first-time buyers before and what kind of service you’ll get from them.

5. Underestimating the costs of owning a home. Whether it’s a rusty pipe or a leaky roof, things go wrong and need to be fixed. Many home buyers don’t anticipate the additional costs for repair and maintenance, or for an increase in utility costs, says Erin Baehr, CFP and president of Baehr Family Financial. Consider the age of your new home and how well it’s been treated by the previous owners in your budget. Be prepared to set aside a small percentage (1% at most) of the home’s purchase price annually for repairs and upkeep.

6. Failing to budget for property taxes.Property taxes – and the likelihood that they’ll climb over the course of your time in the house – should be factored into any home-buying budget, says Baehr. To get an idea of how much you’ll be paying, call the local assessor’s office or talk to people in the neighborhood.

7. Assuming your first offer will get accepted.As home prices get even more affordable, competition is bound to heat up. “You can’t assume you’ll walk in there, make the offer and get it,” says

8. Skipping the inspection.Before signing anything, hire a professional inspector, says Justin Lopatin, a mortgage planner with American Street Mortgage Company. The seller isn’t likely to tell you there’s mold in the basement or the walls are poorly insulated. Lopatin advises buyers to find and hire their own inspector – independently of the realtor – to ensure there’s no conflict of interest. (You can find inspection companies in the phone book, or by doing a simple web search with your zip code.)

9. Doing too much too fast. Some buyers want to make the house their own right away, says Baehr. They overextend themselves on credit to do so, and assume the improvement will pay for itself by increasing the home’s value. But that’s not always the case – especially in today’s market. Instead, buyers need to exhibit patience and make changes over time.

10. Failing to include a contingency clause in the contract.A mortgage financing contingency clause protects you if, say, you lose your job and the loan falls through or the appraisal price comes in under the purchase price. Should one of these events occur, the buyer gets back the money he used to secure the property. Without the clause, he can lose that money and still be obligated to buy the house, says Lopatin.(Corrected April 6, 2009: As originally published, we stated that a contingency clause protects home buyers if the appraisal comes in above the purchase price. In fact, protections kick in when the appraisal value is under the purchase price.)