Think your Sacramento County Property Tax Assessment is too high? File a review application with the Sacramento County Assessor's Office...

It's property tax appeal season, and it seems that every day I get at least one call or email from folks looking for assistance to file the necessary paperwork with Sacramento County to have their property tax assessment reviewed -- and ideally lowered under the "Decline in Market Value" provisions of California Proposition 8. That's right! You can request that the Sacramento County Tax Assessor lower the property tax assessment for your home -- which ultimately lowers the amount that you pay in property tax.

The period to file a review request with the Sacramento County Tax Assessor's office started July 2nd, 2011 and goes until November 30, 2011. To find out what your property tax assessment is for tax year 2011-2012, click here.

Residential property owners (single family home, and properties up to 4-units) can file review requests themselves by filling out an application ("Decline-in-Market Value Residential/Agricultural Request for Assessor Review 2011-2012 Assessment Year") and mailing it into the Sacramento County Assessor, Attn: Prop 8 Review, 3701 Power Inn Road, Suite 3000, Sacramento, CA 95826-4329. It can also be faxed to (916) 854-9295.

In your application, you will have to provide sales information for at least 2 properties of similar type and location that sold as close to January 1, 2011 as possible, but no later than March 31, 2011. If you would like this data, feel free to email me at erin@erinattardi.com a request and I will send you comparable sales for your application.

The Sacramento County Assessor will not accept request for review applications for commercial and apartment properties during the 2011-12 filing period. For commercial and 5+ unit apartment properties; if you disagree with your assessed value, you must file an “Application for Changed Assessment” with the Assessment Appeals Board.

Sacramento County Assessor Review Application
Placer County Assessor Review Application
Yolo County Assessor Review Application
El Dorado County Assessor Review Application

SCAM ALERT! Beware of fee-based services claiming to be able to lower your property taxes...

Be on the lookout for scams.  As a part of the leadership of the Sacramento Association of Realtors (I am the current Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of Directors), often other association members will come to me with questions or to alert me to things that don't look quite right.

BIG shout out to loan officer Scott Short with Mason McDuffie Mortgage who forwarded me a solicitation he received from a service claiming to be able to reduce homeowner's property tax.

The solicitation claims that, with the market potentially softening, it is time to submit an application to the County Tax Assessor for a reduction of your home's property tax assessment.

Please be aware that this is extremely misleading, and probably a predatory solicitation for a fee-based service that will be a fruitless attempt at property tax reduction.

For one, property tax assessment for the current tax year, which is the state’s fiscal year that runs from July 1, 2019 June 30, 2020 is based on the value of the property as of January 1, 2019. There will be no justifiable reason to expect that an appeal can be filed based on any current market activity for the value as of January 1, 2019.

Additionally, the values for the upcoming fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2020 and runs until June 30, 2021 will be based on the property value as of January 1, 2020. Any current market value volatility that we may – or may not – experience as a result of our current public health situation will again provide little, if even any, basis to justify an application for a Proposition 8 decline in property tax assessment.

It should also be noted that even if a homeowner files a legitimate property tax appeal, the timeframe in which to file an application does not even start for more than three months from today. The period opens on July 2 and runs to November 30.

A homeowner can request that the county assessor complete an informal review of the tax assessment FOR FREE. There is a non-refundable $30 fee to the Sacramento County Assessor to formally file an assessment appeal. And you do not need to hire a third party to do this.

I need to point out that if there is a decline in property value in Sacramento, it will take at least a few months of data to be able to determine what the impact will be to real estate values this COVID19 public health situation. As of right now, while we are seeing homes withdrawn from the market and certainly a likelihood of shrinking inventory, MANY agents are getting creative while limiting face-to-face contact and MANY homes are still going into contract with multiple offers. It is really too premature to say what the market will look like when the public health directives are lifted.

Please be on the lookout for these types of opportunists looking to take advantage of homeowners. We are definitely in a time of economic uncertainty, and like we witnessed during the last recession, scammers will prey on the most vulnerable people who are desperately seeking financial relief.

Here is a Q&A on the Sacramento County Assessor's website about Proposition 8 Decline in Value adjustment and assessment appeals. The assessor's office also has a an overview on how to reduce property taxes in other circumstances as well, and that link is here.

Sacramento County Assessor Info

I was fortunate enough last week to attend a presentation by Kenneth Stieger, the Sacramento County Tax Assessor. Did you know he is an elected official??

A few resources he pointed the group to which ya'll may find to be of value:

Sacramento County Assessor 2008 Annual Report; this is a pretty large file. This document encompasses much of what he reviewed with us during his presentation and Q&A. It clearly defines Proposition 8 (no, not that one!) which deals with "decline in value" reassessments, and Proposition 13 which deals with "base year value" and "factored base year value." It also shows the year-over-year growth in the tax rolls, where the money is spent, among other things.

Also, many folks don't know this, however it bears repeating...your assessed value has to do with the "factored base year value" of your property as of January 1 of the previous year. Meaning, the tax bills that you pay in November 2008 (first installment) and April 2009 (second installment) are based on the "factored base year value" of your home in January 2008. Thus, the tax bills that you pay in November 2009, and April 2010 will be based on the "factored base year value" of your home RIGHT NOW. To understand how your "factored base year value" is calculated, you really should read the annual report...there are lots of nuances to this. To over-simplify it, it is your "base year value" (purchase price) plus a 2% adjustment annually.

Remember - the Sacramento County Assessor's office only entertains application to appeal your assessed value from July to the end of November 2009.

Sacramento Association of Realtors Supports Kathleen Kelleher for County Assessor

Last night, I attended an event in support of Kathleen Kelleher, candidate for Sacramento County Assessor. She is currently the Assistant Assessor, serving under Ken Steiger who is retiring after the end of his term. Kathleen Kelleher has served with the Sacramento County Assessor's office for 23 years, and she plans to continue a proactive approach to Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment passed by voters in 1978 that allows a temporary reduction in assessed value when a property suffers a "decline-in-value." I attended with a few other folks on behalf of the Sacramento Association of Realtors...in the photo with me is Kathleen Kelleher, Caylyn Brown (SAR's Government Affairs Director), and Kellie Swayne (my good friend and fellow Realtor).

Sacramento County - Property Tax Assessment Appeal Process for Tax Year 2011

I got a call today from a very nice man who had found an older posting on my blog from last year regarding filing an appeal application with the Sacramento County Assessor's office to request a reduction in his property tax assessment based on declining home values.

For clarity, the Sacramento County Assessor's office is NOT yet accepting appeal applications for fiscal year 2010-2011 until the revised valuations are released next month, in July. This timeline is slightly different than last year...don't forget, we are in the middle of an election cycle. Ken Stieger is retiring, and Kathleen Kelleher (current assistant Sacramento County Assessor) is seeking election to his seat.

Every year I get questions from many confused Sacramento tax payers regarding the property tax assessment appeal process. PLEASE BE AWARE - there are many scams regarding fee-based "services" that promise to lower your tax assessment...do not fall victim to one of these scams! When the new values are released in July, they will reflect the value of the house as of January 2010....several months ago. I promise I will post information regarding how to request an appeal of your property tax assessment when it becomes available!

How to get an accurate measurement of a home's size and square footage when public records are incorrect...

Generally when I list homes for sale, I pull data out of public record to get an idea of the number of bedrooms, bathroom, parcel size, and square footage. Occasionally though, the data in public record is inaccurate.

Recently, a potential seller client contacted me about listing a home in the Arden area. According to the Sacramento County Tax Assessor's records, the home was 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 1,440sf. So I reviewed similar comparable recent sales in the neighborhood and then met the seller at the house a few days later. Immediately I could tell that the home was significantly larger than the assessor's records. The home had an addition. This particular addition was not permitted...however sometimes even permitted additions do not get updated in the public records.

Another seller contacted me who owned a home in Natomas that he purchased new directly from the builder. Assessor's records showed the home was 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 1,519sf. For whatever reason, the builder reported a different floorplan than the one my client had purchased. His home was actually 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and the flyer he had from the builder said the home was 1,805sf.

So what do we do about this? In these situations I hire a professional property appraiser, at no added expense to my clients, to come out and measure the property. Getting an accurate measurement of a home is important, because even a small difference of perhaps 100 square feet may change the value, or change the buyer's perceived value of a home. In addition to having accurate square footage, a floorplan sketch can be a valuable marketing tool as well, since home buyers like to have room measurements.

In these two instances, the Arden home turned out to be 2,243sf, and the Natomas home turned out to be 1,838sf. Clearly those are large differences and those accurate figures definitely helped to properly market the homes and get top dollar. So I say, when in doubt, measure it!

New Listing - 3660 William Way, Sacramento 95821

Offered at $200,000. 3660 William Way is an adorable home, at a really great price, and located on a quiet street off Whitney & Montclaire in Sacramento! This 3 bedroom, 1 bath home is loaded with charm and wonderful features. It is 1,319 square feet (per assessor), has a huge living room with a wood-burning fireplace, a wall of windows that lets in loads of natural light, covered backyard patio, new carpet throughout, kitchen with ample cabinet space, large bathroom with a separate tub and shower, ceiling fans throughout, and more! It has a new central heat & air system, composition roof, large covered carport with extra storage, and a HUGE .26 acre (per assessor) lot! The seller is offering a $6,000 credit to the buyer for closing costs...this is not bank owned, and not a short sale.

For more photos and a virtual tour, visit http://www.3660williamwaytour.com/!

Sacramento County Property Tax Reassessment Scams Re-emerge...

I received a call last week from a client who wanted to inquire regarding the legitimacy of a company promising to drastically lower his property taxes for a $495 fee. I have posted about this before - so folks please be very aware that there are many "Property Tax Reassessment Service" scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

If you receive something in the mail that looks official regarding a fee-based service that promises to lower your Sacramento County property tax assessment - please be aware that this is NOT legit! Do not provide any credit card numbers or private information, or if you have mailed one of these companies a check - cancel it asap!!

Sacramento County released a couple months ago its list of reassessed parcels...they have since taken that list off their site, however you can look up your current tax assessment on the Sacramento County Tax Assessor's website here. If your property was not reassessed, and you think it should be, we are currently right in the middle of the appeal application submission time period. You can download the Sacramento County "Decline-In-Value Request for Assessor Review" application and submit it yourself. You MUST file this form by November 30, 2009. The application will ask you to provide 2 comparable sales from the time period from November 2008 - March 31, 2009. Your tax basis for tax year 2009-2010 is based on your property's value in January 2009. If you need sale data from that time period for your application, feel free to email me at erin@erinattardi.com, and I am happy to provide it to you.

Now - having said all that, there is ONE legitimate fee-based re-assessment service that I know of. It is a service by a CA licensed appraiser, and his fees are not excessive. If you are interested in having someone prepare the application for you, email me and I can give you his information.

Property Tax Reassessment

Want to make an appeal to get your property taxes lowered? Starting in mid-May, the Sacramento County Assessor's office will be reviewing property values. Under California tax law per Proposition 8), if the market value of your property falls below the Proposition 13 assessed value as of January 1, the Assessor is required to enroll the lower of the two values.

Download the Sacramento County application, Placer County application, Yolo County application, El Dorado County application, to have your property tax assessment reviewed.

The applications will ask you to provide specific sales in your neighborhood from early this year. Feel free to email me with your address, and I will email you comps for your applications. Hurry! The applications are due by December 1st!!

Sacramento County Property Tax Assessment Appeals...more...

To follow up on my post from two weeks ago regarding the Sacramento County Tax Assessor's "Decline in Market Value" property tax valuations, here is a little more information...

The Assessor's office has posted a "Decline in Value Proposition 8 Frequently Asked Questions" page pertaining to their re-assessment process, and their review and appeal process and timeframes for value re-assessment for this upcoming tax year...

Sacramento County Property Tax Bills Issued this Week...

Welp, Sacramento County property tax bills were issued this week...the Sacramento County Assessor's Office put out a press release today stating that over 170,000 of the bills issued reflect reductions in the assessed value.

The Assessor's office is still entertaining applications to appeal the assessed value of your home until November 30th. Remember, the bills that just came out reflect an assessment based on the value of your home back in January 2009 (9 months ago!).

To read up on what is required to submit an appeal application, click here.

Sacramento County Parcels Assessed Value Reduction Per Proposition 8 Decline in Market Value

Well, it's June 1...know what that means? That means the Sacramento County Tax Assessor's office has formally re-assessed the tax assessment basis for parcels in Sacramento.

If you follow me on Twitter, you will already know that I learned that the Prop 8 Decline in Value Re-assessed value for my own house has just been reduced by $201,000...that equates to a savings for me of roughly $2,010 per year, or roughly $167.50 per month. WOW. Not that I am stoked that the value of my house has dropped, but I am very that the tax assessment has been substantially lowered.

Visit the Sacramento County Tax Assessor's list of parcels that received a Decline in Value Reassessment. While many properties were reassessed, there are many that were not reassessed. For example on my street, only 4 parcels were reassessed (and there are at least 20 homes on my street). If you disagree with your property's reassessment, or if your property was not reassessed and you think it should be, you can file an appeal. The form will ask you for sales of like kind property from January 2009 (or as close to that date as comps are available), so feel free to email me and I can provide them to you.

Buying a Sacramento home? Use this tool to calculate your Supplemental Tax Bill...

Last week I attended a presentation by Kathleen Kelleher, Sacramento County's Tax Assessor. I've met her several times and seen several presentations regarding Sacramento County tax assessment and collection, but this time she introduced a new tool available for use to calculate the "Supplemental Tax Assessment." You can find the Supplemental Tax Calculator here.

What is a Supplemental Tax Assessment bill? In a nutshell, its a bill to collect the difference between the previous owner's tax assessment, and the new owner's tax assessment. Clear as mud, right? If you buy a house, you will receive MULTIPLE disclosures regarding the fact you may have to pay an additional tax bill at some point in time after closing.

Here is an example from a real life scenario. Let's say you are buying a home in East Sacramento that has been owned by the same family for many years. They purchased the property in 1968, and their current assessed value is $98,156. Their annual tax bill is $1,214 including the 1% base assessment, and all the "direct levies." You are purchasing the home for $400,000. Your new tax assessed value will be based on your acquisition cost, and adjusted annually for inflation. Obviously there is a significant difference in the previous owners tax assessment, vs your new tax assessment - $301,844.

Under these circumstances, you should budget for a relatively large "Supplemental Tax Assessment" bill. In this instance, using the calculator online and assuming you close on March 31, you will receive a "Partial Supplemental Tax Bill" for $754 within a few months of closing, and then another one a few months after that for $3,018. That's something you will want to budget for! The amount owed can change based on when during the state's fiscal year you close your transaction, so keep that in mind and use the online tool for help.

Obviously not everyone buys a home where there is such a gap between the previous owner's assessment and the new owner's assessment. In fact, in the days of short sales and foreclosures, often times the new owner's tax assessment was way less than that of the previous owner. But it is something to be aware of and this calculator can help you budget for that...

New Listing - 1430 Weller Way, Sacramento / Land Park 95818

This may possibly be the most beautiful home in all of Land Park! This exquisitely renovated home was remodeled with permits by licensed contractors. It is the perfect combination of classic features mixed with new amenities - the best of both worlds! Classic features & new amenities include custom kitchen with granite counters, stainless appliances, crown moulding, hardwood floors, detailed doorways, recessed lights, clawfoot tub, coffered ceilings, gorgeous fireplace with custom mantel, dual pane windows, ceiling fans, granite/custom bathroom cabinets, lots of closet space, and much more.

It has 3 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms (rare for Land Park), is 1,909 square feet per the assessor, is on .15 acres, has central heat & air, has a 2-car garage with workshop / art studio (not included in the square footage), and is within walking distance from William Land Park, Fairytale Town, and the Sacramento Zoo. This home is offered at $799,000. I will be holding an open house both Saturday and Sunday (April 28th & 29th) from 12pm - 4pm.

For more information and photos, please visit:

http://listings.golyon.com/content/PropertyBrochure.asp?listingNumber=70042922&agentNumber=SATTARDI

Also visit http://www.1430wellerway.com/ for photos and a link to the a virtual tour!

More on private transfer taxes...

For any of you who read my post a few weeks ago regarding "private transfer taxes" (http://sacramentorealestateblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/private-transfer-taxes-be-aware.html), you may be interested to know there are a couple of new laws in CA that will govern and disclose these fees...as far as I know though, these fees are still legal to record on property deeds.

New Disclosure for Private Transfer Fees: Effective January 1, 2008, a seller who must provide a Transfer Disclosure Statement must also provide, at the same time, a disclosure statement of private transfer fees if applicable. A transfer fee is defined as any fee that must be paid upon transfer of real property as imposed by deed, CC&Rs, or other documents, with certain exceptions (such as, but not limited to, transfer fees imposed by probate, trust, court order, or a governmental agency). The new disclosure statement must contain, among other things, a notice that payment is required, the amount of the fee, and the entity to which payment must be made. (Source: Assembly Bill 980.)

Recording Private Transfer Fees: Also effective January 1, 2008, any person or entity imposing a private transfer fee must, as a condition of payment of the fee, record the instrument creating the transfer fee and a separate notice of "Payment of Transfer Fee Required." These two documents must be recorded concurrently in the county recorder's office for which a property is located. The notice of "Payment of Transfer Fee Required" must include the following information:
- Names of the current property owners;
- Assessor's parcel number and legal description;
- Amount of the fee (or percentage of sales price);
- Actual dollar-cost examples of the fee for residential property priced at $250,000, $500,000, and $750,000;
- When the fee expires if applicable;
- Purpose of the funds;
- Name of entity to be paid and that entity's contact information for sending the funds; and
- Signature of that entity's authorized representative.
The title of the notice of "Payment of Transfer Fee Required" must be in at least 14-point bold type. For transfer fees imposed before January 1, 2008, the receiver of the fee must, as a condition of payment of any fee after December 31, 2008, record a notice of "Payment of Transfer Fee Required" by December 31, 2008 (or record a substantial equivalent as specified). (Source: Assembly Bill 980.)


http://www.ErinAttardi.com • http://Erin.Golyon.com

New listing - 12083 Kirkwood St, Herald, CA 95638

Perfect blend of modern amenities & equestrian facilities on a sprawling 10-acre parcel. Enjoy panoramic 360-degree views of picturesque landscape, and take in gorgeous sunrises & sunsets from your patio. The heart of this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, 2,179sf  home is the expansive kitchen, w/stainless appliances, double oven, & breakfast counter. Formal dining area w/built-in hutch. Great room boasts beautiful pine ceilings & a fireplace w/insert. The primary suite has a walk-in closet and enjoys direct access to the patio & hot tub hookups. Remodeled ensuite primary bathroom w/ soaking tub, separate shower, & dual sinks. Large hallway bedrooms, each w/a walk-in closet. Hallway bathroom has dual sinks & tub/shower. Immense bank of several storage cabinets in the hallway. The oversized attached 851sf (per assessor) 2-car garage. Private home office room has a built-in desk & walk-in closet. Long gravel driveway offers ample parking for guests & RVs. There's plenty of room for gardening, playing, livestock grazing, horses, & large equipment or toys, making it an ideal property for those seeking a versatile outdoor lifestyle. Paradise for horse enthusiasts with 36' x 76' horse barn equipped with lighting, electrical, & plumbing. 8 horse stalls + storage/tack room. Fenced pastures & 120-ft round horse arena. Don't wait! Offered at $1,050,000. For more photos, 3D virtual tour, and information please visit 12083 Kirkwood St, Herald, CA  95638.

New Listing - 4605 Stuart Place in Rocklin 95765

Lovingly maintained Stanford Ranch home ready for buyer - NOT an REO or Short Sale! Nestled at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac and adjacent to a wetland, this home has a great floor plan, natural light and lots of new upgrades including a freshly painted interior and exterior, designer light fixtures, new wood laminate flooring, ceramic tile flooring, and carpet, ceiling fans in every room, dual-sided fireplace, and vaulted ceilings. With beautiful landscaping, the private backyard is set for enjoyable BBQs with a large "Evergrain" composite deck, outdoor bar, and built-in benches. As every detail was considered, you'll be ready to call this home upon move-in! The home is 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,238 square feet, .177 acres (per assessor). Certain furnishings and appliances are negotiable in the sale - please contact listing agent for details. Offered at $299,000. For more photos and additional detail, visit http://www.4605StuartPlace.com.

New Listing - 4891 Hackberry Lane, Sacramento 95841

Handsome 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, 1860sf, home on .35ac (per assessor) in a great location near Arcade Creek Park near the Sacramento / Carmichael border! You will love the huge corner lot, RV access, separate living and family rooms, updated flooring, and oversized garage. Large backyard with covered patio. Don't miss this one! Offered at $249k, subject to lender approval of short sale. For more detail and photos, visit http://4891HackberryLane.com.

New Listing - 3420 65th Street, Tahoe Park / Sacramento, CA 95820

Adorable 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1,173sf (per assessor) home within close proximity to Tahoe Park! You will love the spacious layout, separate living and family rooms, updated kitchen, freshly painted interior. Backyard is a gardener's dream with lush roses, planter beds, and a separate garden area, a gazebo, and shed/outbuilding. NOT a short sale or foreclosure! Offered at $159,000 - Don't wait! For more photos and detail, visit http://www.3420-65thStreet.com.

New Listing - 6754 Maywood Way, Sacramento, CA 95842

Opportunity awaits...this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1,795sf home (per assessor) fixer is a blank canvas for your renovation. Enter to find a large living room. Open kitchen has a breakfast bar and dining area. Cute family room has a brick fireplace and overlooks a large enclosed patio. Large hallway bedrooms. Primary suite has ensuite bathroom. Enviable utility room and workshop area. Large backyard! The possibilities are endless. Close proximity to public transportation, Foothill Community Park, shopping, restaurants, schools, and more. Offered at $350,000. Sale is subject to court approval. For more photos and information, please visit 6754 Maywood Way, Sacramento, CA 95842.