Monthly Archives: May 2020

Cook County Extends Deadline for Paying Property Tax Payments without Late Fees

Cook County Extends Deadline for Paying Property Tax Payments without Late Fees

Cook County property owners will have until Oct. 1 to pay the second installment property tax bill which would have been due on Aug. 3 with no late fees, under a measure intended to provide some relief to taxpayers suffering economic hardship as a result of the coronavirus shutdown.

The measure, approved by the Cook County Board last week, waives the late fees that would normally begin accruing in August.

Two Illinois state representatives have introduced similar measures to delay property tax payments statewide.
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Lemont Township 2020 Triennial Reassessments Mailed

July 2nd2020 Triennial reassessment notices were mailed to Lemont Township homeowners on Wednesday, May 27th. Homeowners in Lemont Township have 36 days to appeal their assessment at the Assessor’s office (there will be a second opportunity to appeal later in the year at the Board of Review, whether you appeal at the Assessor’s office or not). The deadline for appealing at the Assessor’s office is July 2nd.

We recommend homeowners review their assessment annually, particularly in a triennial reassessment year, to ensure they do not pay more than their fair share in property taxes. Successfully appealing in a reassessment year may provide 3 years of savings on future property tax bills. If you would like a free analysis of your Lemont Township home, in comparison to similar properties, we would be happy to conduct a “no obligation” analysis and provide you with a free estimate of how much we believe we could help you save with an appeal.
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Mortgage Rates As Low As 2.5% For A Limited Time

Mortgage Rates As Low As 2.5% For A Limited Time

United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) is offering mortgages rates for as low as 2.5 percent for buyers meeting certain criteria who can close soon. Titled “Conquest,” this new program is designed to increase demand for homes and spur a strong purchase season despite the economic impacts of COVID-19 across the country.

UWM is the nation’s largest purchase mortgage and wholesale lender, but it doesn’t deal directly with borrowers. It works with independent mortgage brokers, such as Kensington Research & Recovery, Inc., who can offer these lower rates to customers. UWM’s “Conquest” program offers mortgage rates that are a full percentage point below what was available recently, according to news reports.
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How to Appeal Your Property Taxes: 3 Approaches

How to Appeal Your Cook County Property TaxesIf you feel like you’re paying too much in property taxes – and who doesn’t – you can submit a property tax appeal to the assessor’s office and, in the case of Cook County, also to the Board of Review.

If you have the time and are effective, you may get a reduction to your assessed value which will reduce your property’s future property tax bills. To do so, you need to prove that your property is worth less than the value set by the assessor. The following are three approaches to proving a case in Cook County.
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What Happens If You Don’t Pay Your Property Taxes?

Paying Cook County Property TaxesIn Chicago and throughout Cook County, many homeowners are struggling to pay their ever increasing property taxes, especially those seniors on fixed incomes and disabled individuals, as well as longtime residents of neighborhoods undergoing gentrification. More affluent homeowners may also despair of paying property tax bills that can approach six figures on high-end properties in exclusive communities.
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Berwyn Township 2020 Triennial Reassessments Mailed

Berwyn2020 Triennial reassessment notices were mailed to Berwyn Township homeowners on Monday, May 18th. Homeowners in Berwyn Township have 36 days to appeal their assessment at the Assessor’s office (there will be a second opportunity to appeal later in the year at the Board of Review, whether you appeal at the Assessor’s office or not). The deadline for appealing at the Assessor’s office is June 23rd.

We recommend homeowners review their assessment annually, particularly in a triennial reassessment year, to ensure they do not pay more than their fair share in property taxes. Successfully appealing in a reassessment year may provide 3 years of savings on future property tax bills. If you would like a free analysis of your Berwyn Township home, in comparison to similar properties, we would be happy to conduct a “no obligation” analysis and provide you with a free estimate of how much we believe we could help you save with an appeal.
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Wheeling Township 2020 Assessment Notices Mailed

West Suburban Homeowners Feel Property Tax Pinch2020 property assessment notices were mailed by the Cook County Assessor’s office on Thursday, May 14th 2020, to Wheeling Township property owners. The window to appeal your 2020 assessed value is now open until the deadline of June 19th.

We recommend property owners review their assessments annually and appeal whenever there is a strong evidence based argument that your home may not be assessed fairly. Wheeling Township was reassessed in 2019 but even if you appealed last year you may appeal your assessment again this year. A successful appeal in 2020 may result in two years of savings, until Wheeling is reassessed in 2022. 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.
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Property Tax Relief For Small Multifamily Property Owners

Property Tax Relief For Small Multifamily Property Owners

With unemployment at the highest it has been since the Great Depression, many American families are struggling to pay rent. Last month, a third of all renters failed to pay on time – a number that will likely increase as unemployment continues to rise.

In the Chicago area, evictions and foreclosures are banned during the shelter-in-place order. During this time, mom-and-pop building owners with 10 or fewer units are likely to be hardest hit, along with other small, multifamily properties and low-to-moderate income housing.

For Cook County’s small multifamily building landlords, it is a threat that makes the property tax assessment process even more important. Nearly half of Chicago residents are renters, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Smaller building landlords face the prospect of a growing number of tenants struggling to pay their rent. For landlords who cater to Chicago area college students, the prospects may be even grimmer if the pandemic interrupts a return to campus in the fall.
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Cook County Property Tax Warning: Land Assessed Value Increasing

Cook County Assessed Land ValueBased on statistics recently provided by the Cook County Assessor as part of their triennial assessment, assessed land values for Barrington, Evanston and New Trier townships have increased 15-21% over 2013.

Assessed land value decreased in these townships by 2-13% from 2010 to 2013 but are now 2-16% higher than they were in 2010.

See the table below for the assessed land value data:
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