Property Tax Assessments

From Peachtree Corners

As of April 2007 several neighborhoods in Peachtree Corners are currently being notified of property tax re-assessments. Mailings are going out in three batches, on April 6, April 20 and May 4 respectively. Increases of 30% and greater are being reported. If you received one of these notices and think it is out of line with current values, you have 30 days to appeal.

Table of contents
1 Appeals
2 Homestead Exemption
3 Senior / Disability Exemption
4 Value Offset Exemption
5 Additional Information
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Appeals

The process for appealing involves sending a letter to the tax appeals board. The letter must contain any and all reasons for your objections, and any factual material you have regarding your property and comparable sales in your area. It must also include your PIN number (on your assessment notice) and a contact phone number. You can also request a written copy of the information the county used for coming up with the new value. They have 10 days to respond to that request, and since you are working with a 30 day deadline for the appeal, it's best to file your appeal and request for written information in the same letter. This gets your appeal on record and should still allow you to gather additional information for your basis.

Property owners have had success with appeals based on comparable sales values. Other successful challenges have been mounted by citing diminished use of property because of public utility right-of-ways, such as power easements. The board will review appeals as simple as "I think it's too high", but your chance of a successful appeal will be greater if you include factual information.

Once you have filed an appeal, it will take 8 to 10 weeks for a response, according to the Gwinnett County Property Tax Office.

If you have information on other successful appeal tactics, please add them to the discussion.

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Homestead Exemption

A homestead exemption, as well as the value offset exemption, is available to property owners who occupy their home as their primary residence. All vehicles must be registered in Gwinnett County. Your homestead application will be used to qualify you for the regular homestead exemption, as well as the county value offset exemption (see Value Offset Exemption below). Once you receive this exemption, you do not have to reapply each year unless there has been an ownership change by means of a legal instrument.

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Senior / Disability Exemption

Additional exemptions are available to those aged 62 or over and those 100% disabled.

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Value Offset Exemption

Gwinnett County homestead claimants are now eligible for the county value offset exemption, in addition to any other exemption for which they may be eligible. Homestead applications will be used to qualify all taxpayers for the county value offset exemption.

In the absence of a millage rate increase, the value offset exemption holds constant the county government portion of your taxes when there is a property value increase. Taxpayers who file for this exemption in 2007 establish their base year and value at the 2006 level. Thus, your county taxes will be calculated according to your base year, established at the time of application. School, state, and city taxes (about 2/3 of the taxes) will continue to be calculated on the current year's value and are not impacted by the VOE. Please note that you will receive the exemption savings only if your property experiences an increase in assessed value.

If you are currently claiming a homestead and value offset exemption, you are not required to reapply for your current exemptions unless there has been a change in ownership, name, or spelling correction on the deed or while seeking to qualify for a different type of exemption.

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Additional Information

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