Property Tax Assessment Appeals · Metro Atlanta
Think Your Assessment Is Too High? Get an Independent Appraisal
Your Notice of Assessment sets the county's opinion of your home's value as of January 1 — and you have just 45 days to appeal. I provide an independent appraisal documenting fair market value as of that date, giving your Board of Equalization hearing the evidence it needs.
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(404) 594-3396GA Certified Residential Appraiser #441846
Assessment Appeals
Evidence Your County's Board of Equalization Will Take Seriously
A property tax appeal comes down to one question: what was your home actually worth on January 1? An independent, USPAP-compliant appraisal answers it with documented comparable sales and supported adjustments — the kind of evidence a Board of Equalization gives weight to, rather than an opinion or an online estimate.
Value as of January 1
Georgia assesses every home as of January 1. I appraise to that exact effective date, using sales from the relevant period — not today's market.
Built for Your Hearing
A clear, defensible report you can submit to the Board of Tax Assessors or present at your Board of Equalization hearing.
Documented Comparable Sales
Every conclusion is supported by comparable sales and adjustments grounded in market data — the standard counties recognize.
Independent & Neutral
I'm not a tax-appeal service working on contingency. You receive an objective opinion of value, whichever way the number lands.
Ten Metro Atlanta Counties
Cobb, Clayton, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, and Rockdale — each mails notices on its own schedule.
Same-Day Delivery
Inspection within one to three days, report the same day — built around the strict 45-day appeal window.
How the Process Works
From Notice of Assessment to Appeal — and Where an Appraiser Fits
In Georgia, every county sets a fair market value for your home as of January 1 each year. Your property is taxed on an assessed value equal to 40% of that figure. Each spring or early summer, the county Board of Tax Assessors mails an Annual Notice of Assessment showing the value it has assigned.
From the date printed on that notice, you have 45 days to file an appeal with the Board of Tax Assessors. The window is strict and there are no extensions, so it pays to act as soon as the notice arrives. Counties mail on different schedules, so your deadline depends on your own notice date — not on a statewide one.
After you file, many counties offer an informal review with an assessor. If that doesn't resolve it, the case moves to the Board of Equalization — a panel of local citizens who hear both sides and decide. If a reduced value is granted, Georgia law generally locks it in for up to three years, so a successful appeal can keep paying off well past the year you filed.
This is where an independent appraisal earns its place. Rather than arguing from an online estimate or a neighbor's opinion, you walk in with a documented value as of January 1, built on comparable sales the Board recognizes. I prepare that report, and I can explain exactly how the value was reached.
One honest caveat: an appraisal helps only if your home is genuinely over-assessed. Before you spend anything, tell me your assessed value and your address, and I'll give you a straight read on whether an appeal looks worth pursuing.
What to have ready when you call
- Your Annual Notice of Assessment, including the date it was mailed
- The fair market value the county assigned
- The property address and parcel ID
- Any condition issues the county's value probably doesn't reflect
- Whether you've already filed your appeal, or still need to
Questions
Common questions
How long do I have to appeal my Georgia property tax assessment?
45 days from the date printed on your Annual Notice of Assessment. The deadline is strict and there are no extensions, so the notice date is the single most important thing to check when it arrives.
Counties mail on their own schedules, which means your neighbor in another county may have a completely different deadline.
Should I file the appeal before I get the appraisal?
Yes. File first. The 45-day window is what you cannot recover; the evidence can follow.
Filing preserves your right to be heard, and you can submit the appraisal afterward for the informal review or the Board of Equalization hearing. Never let the deadline lapse while waiting on a report.
What effective date does the appraisal use?
January 1 of the tax year being appealed, because that is the date Georgia law uses to set value. The report relies on sales from around that date rather than the current market, which is why a general-purpose appraisal ordered for another reason usually will not serve an appeal.
How much can I actually save?
It depends on how far off the county's value is and on your local millage rate. The arithmetic is straightforward: your assessed value is 40% of fair market value, so a $50,000 reduction in market value lowers your assessed value by $20,000, and your savings are that figure multiplied by your millage rate.
If a reduction is granted, Georgia law generally holds it for up to three years, so the saving usually repeats.
Do I need a lawyer for a Board of Equalization hearing?
Most homeowners represent themselves, and the Board of Equalization is designed to be approachable for people doing exactly that. What matters far more than legal representation is bringing credible evidence of value.
For higher-value properties or unusual circumstances, some owners do involve counsel. That's a judgment call for you rather than something I'd advise on.
Can you guarantee my assessment will be reduced?
No, and be skeptical of anyone who does. I'm an independent appraiser, not a contingency-fee appeal service. I document what the property was worth on January 1 and the Board reaches its own conclusion.
If my analysis suggests the county's value is close to correct, I'll tell you that before you spend money on a report you can't use.
Notice of Assessment in Hand? The Clock Is Already Running.
Tell me your assessed value and address and I'll give you a straight read on whether an appeal looks worth pursuing.