It looks like the preliminary numbers for the Allegheny County tax assessment are coming soon for the city of Pittsburgh and Mt. Oliver. This may give taxpayers an opportunity for an “informal appeal.”  An informal appeal is an unofficial meeting whereby the taxpayer can correct errors or data imputed to their property by the county data collectors. 

This meeting will be run by a county official; either an assessor, an appointed hearing officer, or an employee of the reassessment vendor. All of these people are schooled in the real estate valuation methods and are much more qualified than most property owners to discuss your property’s “contributions to value” such as land to building ratio, living area square feet, obsolescence factors, depreciation etc. These informal hearings are important and can go a long way to establishing an accurate market value for your property, resulting in a fair tax bill — that is, tax relief for you.

If you want help in negotiating I can help. I am a C.P.E. (assessors designation), a State Certified General Appraiser, and an attorney. Call for information at 724-283-5000.