Understanding the building blocks for a successful property assessment tax appeal

emphasizing 2014 Property Assessment change details.

ATTENTION MONMOUTH COUNTY NJ

PROPERTY OWNERS
ASSESSMENT APPEAL APPLICATION DEADLINE

JANUARY 15 2014

(PREVIOUSLY THE DEADLINE WAS APRIL 15)

 

In march 2013, Gov. Christie signed into law chapter 15 P.L 2013 known as Assessment demonstration Program to begin in tax year 2014. The Monmouth board of Taxation and the Monmouth County of Assessors has decided to be the first in the state to take on this cost saving project. Many changes will be put in place over the next FIVE years. 

1. Remember the Assessor is ALWAYS right about your assessment unless you want to lose.
2. Remember that your assessment was created on October 1st of last year. Example October 1st 2012 for the year 2013.
3. Alwys find 3 good reasonable sales and find those closed  sales between January and December of last year. Example 2012 for tax year 2013.
4. Remember NOT to talk about your neighbor's assessment unless you want to lose. 1 strike
5. Rember NOT to mention your own property taxes unless you want to lose. 2 strikes
6. Breaking up your assessment between land and building is a sure way to weaken your case for reduction. 3 strikes
7. While you may not rest on the 7th day, the Assessor does!
8. consider if you are the expert or if you NEED an expert (appraiser etc) . Experts have boundaries and lend credence to the sales.
9. Contrary to what you may think, you may need an Attorney, especially if you are an LLC or Corp. Any and ALL experts MUST be with you at the meeting!
10. Chapter 123 - is a "cautionary tale" of potentially winning the battle but losing the War.
11. Consider filing your appeal and documentation Online.
12. ALWAYS BE CONFIDENT! Do not be distracted and always give an honest courteous response.
13. ALWAYS Direct your remarks and responses to the Commissioner, not necessarily to the Assessor, Attorney or the Representative from the Revaluation company.
14. Always start your testimony by describing you house, land, or building. Example: the style, how many bedrooms, how many baths, basement/no basement, garage/no garage, deck, fireplace, air conditioning, are you on a busy street or not, do you have a water view or are you on the waterfront, the size of your lot - describe the condition of your home in terms of good, average, fair or poor.
15. BE PREPARED to tell the Commissioner in a sentence or two why your Assessment does not represent Market Value.
16. COMPARE and describe the closed comparable Sales you selected ending withthe closed price and date it closed
17. Confidently End with YOUR Opinion of what you believe the value of your property should be based upon your comparable sales information which you presented.

Home Buyers and Home Owners of 5 years, take advantage of the tax credit NOW

President Obama has signed into law the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (H.R. 3548) that included, as an amendment, the extension and expansion of the Homebuyer Tax Credit.


The bill provides a new incentive for existing homeowners who have owned their current homes at least five years, making them eligible for tax credits of up to $6,500 when they purchase a new home. I believe this provision benefitting existing home owners, combined with historically low interest rates, will help engage a large number of qualified move-up buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines hesitant to list their current homes… if they act now!

The bill also extends the previous incentive for first time homebuyers – or anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the last three years. Those buyers will still get up to an $8,000 refundable tax credit.
The legislation includes other qualification provisions. For example, the credit is available only for the purchase of principal homes (no second or vacation homes) costing $800,000 or less and the credit is scaled back and gradually eliminated for individuals with annual incomes above $125,000 or couples with incomes above $225,000.
To qualify under either provision, buyers must sign a purchase agreement by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30. This is likely to be the last tax credit that the government will offer to first time and move-up buyers. The window of time is shorter than it may seem, especially for potential buyers who need to list and sell their existing homes. We must do everything we can to help them take complete advantage of it.

Encore of First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Webinar – April 27

Encore of First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Webinar – April 27

Due to popular demand, NJAR® will be hosting a second free webinar for members and the public on Monday, April 27 at 2:00 p.m. titled Get the REAL StorySM on the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.

Linda Goold, director of federal tax programs for the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR), will discuss how home buyers can take advantage of the federal first-time home buyer tax credit, how it functions, and how purchasers can claim it. NJAR® will begin the webinar with information on the newly redesigned website, www.REALstoryNJ.com, along with details on the revamped Get the Real StorySM public education campaign focusing on the benefits of New Jersey's real estate market.

Reserve your space for the encore presentation of Get the REAL StorySM on the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit today. The address for viewing the webinar will be http://njar.acrobat.com/tc042709.

Tax Credit for Ford Hybrids Begins Phase-Out

WASHINGTON — The tax credit for hybrid passenger automobiles and light trucks manufactured by Ford Motor Company has begun to phase out for purchases made after March 31, 2009.
Taxpayers may claim the full amount of the credit only on purchases made before April 1, 2009, because the total number of vehicles sold reached the 60,000 vehicle threshold in the last quarter of 2008. The cumulative sales of qualified Ford hybrid vehicles sold from the period of Jan. 1, 2006, to Dec. 31, 2008 is 66,157.
For vehicles purchased for use or lease on or after April 1, 2009, and on or before Sept. 30, 2009, the credit is 50 percent of the full amount. For vehicles purchased for use or lease on or after Oct. 1, 2009, and on or before March 31, 2010, the credit is 25 percent of the full amount. For vehicles purchased for use or lease on or after April 1, 2010, no credit is allowable.
The full credit amount for vehicle purchases made prior to April 1, 2009 is:
2005, 2006, 2007 Ford Escape 2WD, $2,600;
2008, 2009 Ford Escape 2WD, $3,000;
2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 Ford Escape 4WD, $1,950;
2008 Ford Escape 4WD, $2,200;
2010 Ford Fusion, $3,400;
2008, 2009 Mercury Mariner 2WD, $3,000;
2006, 2007, 2009 Mercury Mariner 4WD, $1,950;
2008 Mercury Mariner 4WD, $2,200;
2010 Mercury Milan, $3,400

Related link:
N-2009-37 - Phase-out of Credit for New Qualified Hybrid Motor Vehicles and New Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicles

Save Energy and Tax Dollars Too! New Federal Tax Incentives for Energy-Efficiency Home Improvements

I received this from NJ Gas and thought I'd pass this information on.
Save Energy and Tax Dollars Too!
New Federal Tax Incentives for Energy-Efficiency
Home Improvements

On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed a stimulus bill, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, that made significant changes to the energy-efficiency tax credits. Tax credits that were previously effective for 2009 have been extended to 2010 and raised from 10 percent to 30 percent. The maximum credit was also raised from $500 to $1500 for the two years (2009-2010).*

Home improvements eligible under this act include:
Roofs
Insulation
Replacement windows and doors
High-efficiency heating and cooling systems
High-efficiency water heaters
Biomass stoves
There are also tax credits for geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, windmills and fuel cells at 30 percent of the cost, without any upper limit. Click here for details and complete eligibility requirements.

So as spring approaches, remember those energy-saving home improvement projects can not only lower your energy bills and help conserve our natural resources, but also save you valuable tax dollars.

Tax credits for builders of new energy-efficient homes and designers of energy-efficient commercial buildings were also extended. Click here and scroll down to view the details.

*Additional incentives are available through New Jersey's Clean Energy Program.

BREAKING NEWS Home Buyers Tax Credit Bill

A bill just passed the senate that will be a great way for buyers to BUY NOW!


Here are some of the things that this bill will do:



Provide a direct tax credit to any one who purchases any home!

Amount of the tax credit would equal 10% of the purchase price or $15,000, whichever is less

Purchses must be made within one year of this legislation being enacted

This tax credit would not to be repaid unlike the current tax credit

Taxpayers would be able to claim the credit on their 2008 income tax return

This will only apply to the purchase of a principal residence

The Credit would be recaptured if the home sold within two years of purchase

This would sunset the current $7,500 housing tax credit on the date of enactment



Check with your preferred mortgage specialist to find out what information they have on this exciting possibility.



Will Keep you posted