The basics: how property tax assessments work and when you have a case.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
Everything a San Francisco homeowner needs to appeal an over-assessed property: the July 2 – September 15 deadline, the $120 filing fee, the evidence that wins, the hearing, and how much you can save.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
Revenue & Taxation Code §167 shifts the burden of proof to the assessor for owner-occupied single-family homes. What that means at your hearing, and the two conditions you have to meet to get it.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
A section-by-section walkthrough of the BOE-305-AH assessment appeal application — including the opinion-of-value line that decides your ceiling and the refund box most people forget to check.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
California counties offer a free informal decline-in-value review and a formal Assessment Appeals Board appeal. They have different windows, different costs, and only one of them protects your rights.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
An honest answer: California appeals boards can raise your assessed value, not just lower it. When that actually happens, why it's rare for homeowners, and the two mistakes that create the risk.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
Yes, and it may be worth more than a normal appeal. How California sets your base year value from the purchase price, the 60-day supplemental window, and the four-year window most buyers don't know exists.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
Seattle homeowners face a higher evidentiary bar than California's: the assessor's value is presumed correct. What 'clear, cogent, and convincing' means for your petition, the July 1 / 60-day deadline, and why a lower value doesn't cut your bill proportionally.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
A complete pre-filing checklist for a residential property tax appeal — confirm your deadline, audit the assessor's record, size the gap, build admissible comps, and file. With the county-specific dates.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
Contingency-fee tax agents typically keep 25–50% of your first-year savings. When that's worth it, when it isn't, and how to check out a firm before you sign an authorization that outlives the appeal.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
San Francisco's secured property tax rate is 1.18268325% for FY 2025-26 — the 1% Prop 13 base plus voter-approved bonds. How to calculate your bill, and why the rate is the part you can't appeal.
Danielle Cui · August 8, 2026
Where to find your SF assessed value, APN, and the property characteristics the Assessor has on file — and how to audit that record for the factual errors that win appeals outright.
Danielle Cui · June 9, 2026
How to appeal an over-assessed property in Seattle, Issaquah, and the rest of King County — the Board of Equalization, the July 1 / 60-day deadline, and the evidence you need. Washington has no Prop 13.
Danielle Cui · May 28, 2026
How to appeal an over-assessed San Jose property tax bill with the Santa Clara County Assessment Appeals Board — eligibility, comparable sales, the deadline, and the hearing.
Danielle Cui · May 14, 2026
A step-by-step guide to appealing an over-assessed Oakland property tax bill with the Alameda County Assessment Appeals Board — eligibility, comps, the deadline, and how to win.
Danielle Cui · March 19, 2026
Your assessment notice is the starting gun for an appeal. Here's what each number means — assessed value, land vs. improvements, the valuation date, and the appeal deadline.
Danielle Cui · March 5, 2026
Assessed value and market value aren't the same thing — and when they drift apart, you can overpay on property tax. Here's the difference and how to check whether you have an appeal.
Danielle Cui · December 18, 2025
A San Francisco homeowner's first-hand walkthrough of the Assessment Appeals Board hearing — how it works, how to present your comps, what to say (and what backfires), and what happens if you disagree.