If you’re thinking about appealing your property tax assessment, you might be curious about how the county assessed your neighbors home or one on the next block. You won’t find those online for a while.
Why? Cuyahoga County won’t post assessments online until Ohio approves them in November, long after the August 30 deadline to submit an informal complaint.
During the informal process, Cuyahoga County will only accept sales – not assessments – as points of comparison when trying to prove that their house is worth less than the county estimated.
“We wanted the public to be prepared early by sending the values now. Property owners must use sales comparisons, not property value assessments, as grounds for an appeal,” wrote Kelly Woodard, a county spokesperson, in an email to Signal Cleveland.
Last week’s announcement about rising property values caused a panic for many property owners who are worried about keeping up with their bills. Although an Ohio law weakens the effect of inflation on property tax bills, residents are still looking for ways to lower their future property taxes based on new property values.
The formal process to contest the county’s property tax assessment will kick off in early 2025 for those who need more time to appeal.
Where to find information on other Cuyahoga County home sales near you
There are several documents you can submit when making your informal complaint to the county’s fiscal office, including what are called comparable sales or sometimes “comps.” These are similar properties in your neighborhood that have recently sold.
Cuyahoga County has an online tool where you can enter your address and look at sales comparisons in your area. The tool also shows the recent average sales price for the neighborhood.
This can still be tricky, according to Ron O’Leary from Cuyahoga County’s Board of Revision, who still recommends that property owners seek an appraisal. Appraisers can walk through your home and look at the sales of properties in the neighborhood, he said.
Appraisers also have access to more information than the county, said O’Leary. For example, the appraisers can use information about recent renovations that may affect the value of the property. The county does not.
Another common misconception is that the number of bedrooms is important when calculating property value. That’s because appraisers rely on square footage instead of the number of bedrooms, according to O’Leary.
Have more questions about Cuyahoga County property assessment process? Let us know.
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