These past two weeks, I have received several requests for help from property owners seeking to get their property taxes adjusted. Perhaps due to an earlier blog Reassessment for property values in Alameda County, CA or my participation in Q & A on another site, some folks are finding me. I must have done at least five or six comps and signed their application forms.
Researching the comps take time, sure....but....
IN TIMES LIKE THESE, WE CAN ALL USE A HUG!
Their stories sound remarkably alike:
- A proprietor finds that her business has slowed down.
- A woman who is renting out half of her duplex reports that her tenant lost her job and will have to move. And the landlady can't afford to even have one month without a tenant
- A husband and wife are both employed in high-tech industries. The husband lost his job, and the wife is about to lose hers, too.
- A mortgage lender was recently laid off
- So was a corporate executive
They are all trying every possible means to conserve their resources. They sell some of their prized possessions. They cut back on their daily expenses. They want to keep their house, but would like to reduce their property taxes (but this could take months, and there's no guarantee their property taxes will be reduced).
So they're applying for loan modification. But their chances are significantly reduced when the borrower on record is unemployed.
And although it is heart-breaking, their last resort where they can walk away with their dignity, is a short sale.
LEND AN EAR
They're like the walking wounded. As they move from one option to the other, all I can offer are information and guidance with a lot of empathy.
So fellow Realtors, when people ask for your help by getting comps they can use with their application for property tax reassessment, spend a little time with them. Hear them out. Offer your hand of friendship and understanding. It's part of our humanity.
Related blogs
Reassessment for property values in Alameda County, CA
SHORT SALES. Cut a sweet deal. For whom?
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