Replace: This publish is a piece in progress as each step takes fairly a while. As of early February, I’ve submitted a Written Attraction given what ChatGPT has offered and can replace this publish with the outcomes once they are available in.
In Maryland, your property is assessed each three years and your property taxes are based mostly on that evaluation. We final handled this in 2023 and the enchantment was profitable.
I contested it based mostly on Qualify Issue, which was a multiplier used on our base evaluation. The state felt we had been a 6, which meant you multiplied your base worth by 1.37. We lowered it to a 5, which is a multiplier of 1.17. That resulted in huge financial savings (20%!).
This 12 months, we are able to’t do this as a result of we’re nonetheless at a Qualify Issue of 5.
Three years in the past, I spent a number of hours studying the way it all labored however this time, I wished to see if ChatGPT might give me a hand. I do know the method of an enchantment however ChatGPT might give me perception into the way it all actually labored… and it delivered. And I filed an enchantment in about ten minutes.
First, I requested our Residential Worksheet and the Comparable Gross sales Checklist used for my evaluation from Maryland. Then, I fed the paperwork into ChatGPT and had it analyze my probabilities and inform me precisely what to do.
📒 If you wish to contest your taxes however don’t wish to do it your self, Ownwell might be able to assist. If out there in your state, they’ll contest it for you and also you solely pay a share of what they prevent in taxes. Nothing up entrance.
Desk of Contents
ChatGPT Recognized Attraction Targets
The Residential Worksheet gave ChatGPT sufficient details about our property to check it with the gross sales checklist and see if there have been areas we might contest.
Right here’s what it stated concerning the comparable gross sales:
Your Space Gross sales Itemizing (Neighborhood XXXXXXXX.XX) is gold
Right here’s what jumps out instantly from that sheet:
A. Current Gross sales Cluster Decrease Than Your Evaluation
Many 2023–2025 arms-length gross sales in your actual neighborhood code present:
- Sale costs generally between:
$775k – $1.05M- A number of large-lot properties (5–10 acres) promoting properly under your assessed worth
- Houses with:
- Related classic (Nineteen Seventies–Nineties)
- Related or bigger residing space
- Related acreage
- Usually equal or higher high quality rankings
But SDAT locations you at $1.3M.
That hole is the core of your enchantment.
For context, we reside in an space the place giant lot properties are typically a lot older as a result of they pre-date the large quantity of constructing that has occurred the final twenty or thirty years. Many of the new single-family houses now are on half acre heaps or, at most, three acre heaps.
We’re a home in-built 1990 on 10 acres and it’s solely so many acres as a result of it’s uneven, woody, and (fortunate for us) too costly to subdivide and construct.
So if you understand the realm, that is all true and the dear argument believable.
ChatGPT additionally recognized probably errors:
3. Probably Evaluation Errors / Strain Factors
These are the arguments that usually land:
🔹 1. Overstated Market Adjustment Components
SDAT utilized:
- County Multiplier: 1.60
- High quality Issue: 1.17
- Neighborhood Adjustment: 1.10
👉 Mixed, these inflate base price dramatically.
Your comps counsel market costs did NOT rise at that charge for related houses.
ChatGPT additionally picked out a number of line objects that appeared aggressively excessive – like a completed basement valuation and pool.
ChatGPT even gave you a way of what may very well be saved:
5. What a Practical Win Seems Like
Typical profitable outcomes in Howard County:
- 5–15% discount at Supervisor degree
- In your evaluation:
- 10% = ~$136,000 discount
- That’s actual tax financial savings yearly
If Supervisor evaluate fails, you possibly can escalate to:
- Property Tax Evaluation Appeals Board (PTAAB)
…however most individuals by no means must.
Submitting a Written Attraction
When you don’t know learn how to enchantment your property taxes, ChatGPT may give you step-by-step directions.
Step one in Maryland’s enchantment course of is to go to the web enchantment portal and file a written enchantment, usually often known as a Supervisor’s Evaluate.
In Maryland, it’s a web based type with a easy textual content field. ChatGPT can put collectively a canopy letter with attachments (just like the gross sales checklist with highlighting to determine precise comps) in case your state permits it.
For now, I’ll merely ask ChatGPT for what to stick into the shape and that is what it urged:
I’m requesting a Supervisor’s Evaluate as a result of the assessed market worth of my property seems overstated.
The present complete assessed worth is $1,300,000 ($400,000 land and $900,000 enhancements). Based mostly on latest arms-length gross sales inside Neighborhood Code XXXXXXX.XXproperties with related age, high quality, acreage, and residing space have bought for materially lower than my evaluation.
A number of comparable gross sales from 2023–2025 on this neighborhood present market values considerably under my assessed worth, together with houses of comparable dimension (roughly 3,500–4,500 sq ft) on giant acreage (5–10+ acres). These gross sales counsel that the utilized county multiplier and neighborhood adjustment exceed noticed market pricing.
As well as, contributory worth assigned to sure options (completed basement and in-ground pool) seems larger than supported by market knowledge, as comparable properties don’t exhibit proportional value premiums for this stuff.
Based mostly on these comparable gross sales, I imagine a extra correct market worth as of the evaluation date is $__________. I respectfully request a evaluate and adjustment to align the evaluation with precise market worth.
I’m blissful to offer an in depth comparable-sales grid, pictures, and supporting documentation upon request.
Notice the clean – ChatGPT urged completely different values based mostly on how conservative or aggressive I wished to be. I stated aggressive and checklist 3-5 comps as examples… since you don’t get what you don’t ask for!
Right here’s how ChatGPT up to date the be aware:
I’m requesting a Supervisor’s Evaluate as a result of the assessed market worth of my property seems overstated.
The present complete assessed worth is $1,300,000 ($400,000 land and $900,000 enhancements). Based mostly on latest arms-length gross sales inside Neighborhood Code XXXXXXX.XXproperties with related age, high quality, acreage, and residing space have bought for materially lower than my evaluation.
Comparable neighborhood gross sales from 2023–2025 embrace:
• Sale in March 2024 for roughly $775,000 (improved property on acreage)
• Sale in June 2024 for roughly $850,000
• Sale in September 2024 for roughly $900,000
• Sale in March 2025 for roughly $1,050,000
• Sale in June 2025 for roughly $1,100,000These properties are positioned inside the similar neighborhood code and replicate market costs properly under my assessed worth, regardless of related traits. The utilized county multiplier and neighborhood adjustment due to this fact seem to overstate present market circumstances.
As well as, contributory worth assigned to sure options (together with the completed basement and in-ground pool) seems larger than supported by market proof, as comparable properties don’t exhibit proportional value premiums for this stuff.
Based mostly on these comparable gross sales, I imagine a extra correct market worth as of the evaluation date is $1,160,000and I respectfully request an adjustment to replicate precise market worth. Supporting comparable gross sales knowledge and documentation can be found upon request.
And that’s what I submitted. We are going to see what the board says!
Attraction Outcomes (TBD)
It should take fairly a while for Maryland to reply to my request, particularly given all the opposite appeals, however I’ll replace this part with their response and what I’ll do subsequent.
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