          
          
          
                          Fractional Assessments

               Most residential properties are assessed at market
          value, and then the tax is assessed at a value that is
          less than market value.  For example, your local tax
          rate might be applied against 75% of your market value. 
          So don't be fooled into thinking your home is
          underassessed when the tax rate is applied against 80%
          of what you know the market value is.  You could be
          overassessed and not know it.   These fractional
          assessments create confusion and trick owners into not
          appealing because they believe they are getting a
          "break."  Don't be fooled.  Look at the comparable
          properties.  If your home is assessed higher than
          comparable properties -- regardless of the fact that it
          is at a fraction of the market value -- then you have a
          case that you can win.  
          
               And don't let somebody in the assessor's office
          trick you with this type of fractional assessment.  A
          favorite conversational trick of this sort is the clerk
          whispering to you, "I shouldn't tell you this, but you
          don't want to appeal that because you are already way
          underassessed, and if you appeal they might be able to
          collect more."   Such games with the rates can also
          make political favoritism harder to detect.
          
          
          
