Making the Most of Property Assessors Offices - Florida

Save on taxes with property assessors in Florida

Making the most of property assessors offices in Florida will require the office to assess the market value of a property. This value is then multiplied by the tax rate to determine the actual tax that the owner must pay on the property each year. Property tax rates may be set by organizations such as cities, counties or school districts.

Florida property assessors offices use factors like location and size to determine the value of a property. This assessment is usually accurate and requires a property value appeal only on rare occasions. There are three things you need to do when evaluating the property value as determined by the assessor’s office:

1. Obtain the information the Florida property assessor uses to make the assessment. You should already know the size and location of the property, but the assessor will also be able to provide the value of other properties in your area.
2. Get a professional appraisal so you may compare it to the property value by the Florida assessor.
3. Appeal the assessor’s valuation of your property if needed. Florida assessors have a specific procedure for accomplishing this.

Learn more about the laws regarding Florida property tax records

Each state has laws that provide guidelines on the way that property values are assessed. There also may be laws that specify what property tax information is publicly available.

Find out how professional appraisers determine Florida property values

Appraisers may use different methods to estimate the value of your property. You will want to ensure the professional appraiser considers the same factors as the property assessor.

Learn how your county performs a Florida property assessment

Many counties have online resources available to help you with your property tax assessment. You should be able to locate this information on your county's website, in addition to other information regarding property taxes.
Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser offers resources on property appraisals including an online tax estimator.

• Check with your Florida property assessor to see if you qualify for any exemptions on your property assessment. Exemptions may be recognized for disabled veterans, senior citizens or non-profit organizations. File any appeals to your current tax assessment before the tax deadline. It will be more difficult to obtain a favorable ruling on an appeal after the deadline.

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