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I've been getting a ton of grievance emails in the mail after having moved here in April this year.
The previous owners have grieved and since the house was built in 2015, it was rejected a few times but the last two managed to get some reduction. Unfortunately, i'm in the small group of houses built in 2015/16 which are being classified as 'new construction' even though this house is over 5 years old, don't qualify for the phase in, and taxed even higher in $$$ terms than what i'm supposed to be at in $$$ terms after the phase in expires in 4 years.
Anyway, now to my real question.
Does hiring an attorney get you any additional benefit in grieving your assessment to doing it yourself? The process seems straight forward. Find comparables (which I have), and submit a form.
What does an attorney actually do that merits 50% of what you save? Do they know people at the assessment office that helps you get 'approved'? Do assessors see its coming from an attorney so more likely to approve vs doing it yourself?
I would like to know if anyone has any hard data on this and not just general comments like just hire them or just diy.
There is a small claims proceedings option where I can see having an attorney represent you can be beneficial. I've seen some new construction that go to small claims proceedings and get substantial reductions (which I can't justify with comparables data). I'm not sure how to find someone who will specifically take this route. I spoke to two attorneys and all they seem to do is fill out the form.
Hopefully someone with real information can comment. But I doubt too many people have great info.
attorney's just fill out the form. They may have a tried and true strategy to maximize the reduction. they may have handshake deals that get them lower values (who knows).
I have gotten a reduction myself before but thought comparatively we're not in bad shape compared to my neighbors, so I haven't rocked the boat much. I filled it out last year, but haven't heard. still interested to see if I get any.
If you have to ask hire an attorney. It’s 50 percent for one year.
If you think you submit a form and they say o your reduced 600 you don’t stand a chance unless you research more. Not saying you can’t do it but I looked into it. I wasnt going to hearings and all that to fight. Not worth my time
I do it myself. I bought a house on Fall of 2017.
2018 - Took about an hour to grieve after researching. Lowered by $2000 since previous owner never grieved.
2019 - Probably took 20 mins which got denied including many others because we were accessed property with the new system by Curran. I appealed and they offered to lower my assessment which I was fine with.
2020 - Grieved again and it took 10 minutes which was approved a few months ago.
There is a group on facebook "NASSAU GRIEVE YOUR TAX ASSESSMENT - FREE" managed by Jeff Gold, a lawyer who insists everyone to grieve by themselves. There are instructions on how to grieve and he also does seminars. If you still don't want to grieve, his firm charges a flat fee of $250 win or lose.
I don't see any benefits of hiring a lawyer to grieve your assessment. I'm sure it's the paralegal/assist working on the grievance and not the actual lawyer.
Does hiring an attorney get you any additional benefit in grieving your assessment to doing it yourself? The process seems straight forward. Find comparables (which I have), and submit a form.
I believe it does. For two reasons:
1. The law firms that provide grievance services are politically connected, they wrote the Nassau legislation regarding assessment grievance.
2. The law firms go to the assessment office with a large number of grievance applications that they then negotiate reductions with the assessment office.
I have been using Schroder & Strom for at least 15 years, my assessment has been reduced every year except 2019(?).
Try it yourself the info is there, if you can research it. You own them 1/2 the savings so you are still in the hole so to speak. I did both when I lived on LI and I did it myself after the first year. Some years successful - some not.
Do not use those lawyers. They’re scammers and con artists in bed with the politicians.
Stop feeding them they’re all skells.
It’s easy and free to do it yourself.
Need to get the word out there for people to stop using these firms.
Get rid of that gravy train and you’ll see some change. Pun intended.
Though you can do it yourself however, a lawyer can make it easier for you if you have any difficulty in understanding anything,
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