Assessor Property Valuation Support

You likely received a property valuation in the mail that showed a large jump in your home's value since the last assessment. This is happening all over the country because of rising home values, but there is no need to panic!  A 25% increase in valuation does not mean your taxes will increase by 25%!  If you disagree with the Assessor’s Office valuation, you are able to protest and appeal. We’re helping Team Hetterich clients review their assessment. We want you to know you have our team’s steadfast support and advocacy. 

Here are the initial steps we would recommend taking to decide if you’d like to consider protesting the assessor’s valuation:

1. Carefully review the public record property details checking for accuracy. Did the city correctly represent the total square feet? Finished square feet? Total bedrooms and bath configuration (ex: ½ bath, ¾ bath, or full baths)? Exterior materials? How about garage spaces or lot size? An error in these data points is the most likely scenario to successfully appeal your valuation. 

2. Look at the Assessor’s Office comparable sales analysis. You may be familiar with some of the properties selected as comparable sales. Some you may consider as legitimate, and others you may question. Somewhat similar to an appraisal, the assessor makes adjustments for property conditions that vary from your property.  If you are in the City of Denver, this adjustment is noted in the VALUATION section at the bottom of the Comparable Sales Analysis. This adjustment may help you legitimize comparables that otherwise seemed out of line (it did on ours!). Note that comparable properties must have been sold in the 24 months between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2022.

If you discover that the Assessor's Office has incorrect property data, or if you'd like to explore alternate comparables that might support a protest, please photograph or scan the tax assessment document in full and email it to us (everyone@teamhetterich.com). Please include any additional context (ex: an error in the public records or reference to a comparable you think is misguided). We’re happy to discuss the circumstances and examine if there are more accurate comparables that support a lower valuation. Please reach out without delay. Because we're reviewing each Real Property Notice of Valuation carefully, our analysis will take some time.  The deadline for a protest is June 8, 2023.  You can find the protest form at:  www.denvergov.org/onlineprotest. 

Best,

-Callan, Abby, Lynn and Steve Hetterich