Author Archives: admin2

Chicago Property Taxes Going Up, But By a Little Less

cook-county-tax-rates-increasingYour property tax bill is coming and – it will come as no surprise – it’s going to be bigger than it was last year.

But here’s what passes for the good news: In Chicago, property taxes are going up by less than they did last year.

The rates, released by the Cook County Clerk’s Office, show that the average property tax bill for homeowners in the city will be about 2.75% higher than last year, or about an extra $110 for the owner of an average single-family residence with a market value of $224,500.

Last year’s tax hike cost that same homeowner an additional $363 – an increase of 10 percent.

Continue reading →

Leyden Township Assessment Notices Mailed

LeydenThe Cook County Assessor’s office mailed 2018 assessment notices today to homeowners in Leyden Township. If your home is in Leyden Township you have until the deadline of July 30th to appeal your assessment at the Assessor’s office.

The following suburbs are located in Leyden Township: Bensenville (east portion), Elmwood Park, Franklin Park, Melrose Park (north portion), Norridge (west edge), Northlake (north portion), Park Ridge (south edge), River Grove, Rosemont (southeast ¾), and Schiller Park.
Continue reading →

Nine Illinois Cities Ranked Among Places With Biggest Property Tax Bite

Bitten DiagramIf you are a Chicago-area homeowner and it feels like property taxes are eating you alive, it is not entirely your imagination. Nine Chicago-area cities made a list of places across the country where property taxes take the biggest bite relative to median housing costs, according to a recently published analysis.

The analysis, conducted by SmartAsset, a financial technology company and personal finance blog, used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to compare local property taxes as a percentage of housing costs in 599 cities across the country.

Continue reading →

Assessment Notices Mailed to Worth Township

Worth2018 assessment notices were mailed today by the Cook County Assessor’s office to property owners in Worth Township, IL. If your home is in Worth Township you have approximately one month to appeal your assessed value at the Assessor’s office, up to the deadline of July 23rd.

Worth Township was reassessed in 2017 so a successful appeal in 2018 may result in two years of savings, until Worth is reassessed in 2020. The best way to ensure you never pay more than your fair share in property taxes is to review your assessment every year and appeal whenever you have a strong basis for an appeal argument, no matter where your township is at in the triennial reassessment cycle. Others also recommend this approach.
Continue reading →

Hyde Park Triennial Reassessment Notices Mailed

Hyde ParkHyde Park triennial reassessment notices were mailed on Tuesday, June 19th by the Cook County Assessor’s office. Hyde Park valuation statistics from the Assessor’s office can be found here. Homeowners in Hyde Park have 30 days to appeal their assessment at the Assessor’s office (there is also a second opportunity later in the year at the Board of Review). The deadline for appealing your assessment at the Assessor’s office is Thursday, July 19th.

We recommend reviewing your assessment annually, especially in a reassessment year, to ensure you do not pay more than your fair share in property taxes. If you believe your assessment is not in line with that of comparable homes you should consider appealing (if you would like a free second opinion contact us). Successfully appealing in a reassessment year may provide 3 years of savings on your future property tax bills. The amount of success you achieve on your property tax appeal depends on the strength of your appeal argument.
Continue reading →

Barrington and Lemont Assessment Notices Mailed

Cook County Property Tax AppealAssessment notices were mailed today by the Cook County Assessor’s office to homeowners in the townships of Barrington and Lemont. If your home is in either of these townships you have until July 5th to review and appeal your assessment at the Assessor’s office. There will be a second appeal opportunity later this year at the Board of Review.

The best way to ensure you never pay more than your fair share in property taxes is to review your assessment every year and appeal whenever you have a strong basis for an appeal argument, no matter where your township is at in the triennial reassessment cycle. Others also recommend this approach.
Continue reading →

Assessor’s Office Announces New Model for Property Assessments

new-assessment-model-does-not-end-need-for-appealIn a year in which the Cook County property tax system was repeatedly declared broken – by  investigative journalists, a non-profit group, an academic study and, indirectly, the voters who decided in March not to return Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios to office – the Cook County Assessor’s Office has announced a new model for residential property assessments it describes as a “huge step forward for Cook County.”

In recent months, the Civic Consulting Alliance (CCA), the University of Chicago, ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune have documented flaws in the county’s property tax system that have led to a whopping transfer of taxes on undervalued homes and pricey commercial properties to homeowners with the least valuable homes. Berrios noted in the press release that he operated under a system that he inherited and that has been in place for 40 years. Nevertheless, the office has pledged to work to fix the process.
Continue reading →

Calumet Township Assessment Notices Mailed

Calumet2018 assessment notices were mailed today by the Cook County Assessor’s office to homeowners in Calumet Township. If your home is in Calumet Township you have approximately one month to appeal your assessed value at the Assessor’s office, up to the deadline of July 2nd.

Calumet Township was reassessed in 2017 so a successful appeal in 2018 may result in two years of savings, until Calumet is reassessed in 2020. The best way to ensure you never pay more than your fair share in property taxes is to review your assessment every year and appeal whenever you have a strong basis for an appeal argument, no matter where your township is at in the triennial reassessment cycle. Others also recommend this approach.
Continue reading →

Assessment Notices Mailed to Stickney Township

StickneyTwnSealStickney Township 2018 assessment notices were mailed to homeowners by the Cook County Assessor’s office today. If your property is in Stickney Township you have 30 days to appeal your assessed value at the Assessor’s office, up to the deadline of June 22nd.

Stickney Township was reassessed in 2017 but even if you appealed last year you may appeal your assessment again this year. A successful appeal in 2018 may result in two years of savings, until Stickney is reassessed in 2020. The best way to ensure you never pay more than your fair share in property taxes is to review your assessment every year and appeal whenever you have a strong basis for an appeal argument, no matter where your township is at in the triennial reassessment cycle. Others also recommend this approach.
Continue reading →

Northfield Township Assessment Notices Mailed

NorthfieldAssessment notices for tax year 2018 have been mailed to property owners in Northfield Township. If your home is in Northfield Township you have one month to appeal your assessed value at the Assessor’s office until the deadline of June 21st.

Northfield Township was reassessed in 2016 but you may appeal your assessment every year. A successful appeal in 2018 will result in one year of savings, until Northfield is reassessed in 2019. The best way to ensure you never pay more than your fair share in property taxes is to review your assessment annually and appeal whenever you have a strong basis for an appeal argument, no matter where your township is at in the triennial reassessment cycle. Others also recommend this approach.
Continue reading →