Determining If Your Assessed Value Is Too High

The first step in determining if you are paying too much real estate tax is too look up your property’s current real estate tax assessment on the Delaware County Property Public Access website then enter your township or Borough and street number and street name and then left click on the folio number next to your address.

Multiply the current fair market value or appraised value by the 2017 Common Level Ratio of 65 to determine your correct assessed value.

Compare the correct assessed value to the current real estate tax assessment you just located on the Delaware County website above. If the current assessed value is higher than the correct assessed value you should hire the Law Offices of Spadea & Associates, LLC to file a Real Estate Tax Assessment Appeal before August 1, 2016.

Fees Involved

If you purchased the property after August 1, 2015, and have a HUD-1 settlement sheet (that is less than 12 months old) you can use the sales price from the HUD-1 as the Fair Market Value, and do not need an appraisal. However, if you bought the property at a short sale or foreclosure, or bought it more than a year ago, you must have an Appraisal to appeal the property tax assessment. The Cost of an Appraisal is about $350. The filing fee is $50 and is made payable to “Delaware County Treasurer”. This fee will not be refunded for failure to appear or withdrawal of the appeal.

The Law Offices of Spadea & Associates, LLC will help you file the application and attend the hearing on your behalf in late September. You pay us nothing if we are unable to reduce your assessment. There are two types of assessment appeals, one is the annual appeal and the other is the interim assessment appeal.

Annual Appeals

The annual appeal allows property owners to appeal their assessment once a year. Annual appeals may be filed from May 15 through August 1 of each year. Remember, in the case of an annual appeal, the Board decision does not take effect until tax bills are issued the following tax year. The Law Offices of Spadea & Associates, LLC will represent you at the hearing which is typically in late September and present evidence such as a recent appraisal with pictures. The Board will determine the fair market value for the property based on the appraisal and other evidence presented at the hearing. The Board will apply the appropriate Common Level Ratio (CLR) to the fair market value to arrive at the new assessed value. The Board generally renders a decision within 4-6 weeks of the hearing date and notifies the property owner in writing. If you do not agree with the Board’s findings you have the right to file an appeal within 30 days to the Court of Common Pleas.

Interim Assessment Appeals

The interim assessment represents the value difference (increase) attributable to any assessable improvement to the land and the resulting increase in land value, if any. Assessable improvements include, but are not limited to; new construction of a primary structure or the addition to any such structure and the construction of any ancillary, contributory improvements such as swimming pools, sheds, garages, etc.

If a property is subject to an interim assessment, a property owner will receive an “Interim Real Estate Assessment Notice.” This Notice will inform the property owner of the old assessment and new assessment. The bottom portion of the Notice contains an APPEAL REQUEST FORM. In order to perfect an appeal of an Interim Assessment, the property owner must return the bottom portion of the Interim Notice to the Assessment Office to request receipt of an Appeal Application within forty (40) days of the date of notification of the assessment change. The appeal date will be noted on the Interim Real Estate Assessment Appeal Notice at the top right and bottom right or this notice.

To file either an interim or annual appeal, contact Gregory J. Spadea at the Law Offices of Spadea & Associates, LLC in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania at 610-521-0604.