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Tax Assessment Appeal Home Appraisals Offered For Pelican Point Gonzales Louisiana Ascension Parish
This morning, 11/15/08, The Advocate Newspaper is reporting on a homeowner protest of excessive property tax assessments. To read the full article, see: Pelican Point Assessments Protested
Above - Former Parish President, Ronnie Hughes, discusses his unfair tax assessment @ $140/sq. ft.
A Summary of the article is that the current Ascension Parish Tax Assessor, Rene Mire Michel, was mandated by the State of Louisiana to reassess all property in the Parish between 2006 and 2007 based on current sales - when the Pelican Point housing market was "HOT". The method used for this reassment was "Uniform Mass Appraisal", which is a legally acceptable option for the assessor. The Mass Appraisal technique is one which attempts to lump all properties in an area or subdivision as the same and assess them with on the same dollar per sq. ft. figure. According to Mr. Hughes, that figure was $140/sf applied to homes in The Greens section of Pelican Point. According to Mr. Hughes, this wouldn't make logical sense because some homes are located with lake views, some are not, with lot prices from $39K up to $100K. Some homes have higher quality within the 6 different floor plans within The Greens. To the credit of the assessor, she says that the Louisiana Tax Commission appraisers bumped the assessment to $145/sf and she lowered them to $140/sf.
**********However, the Pelican Point housing market has slowed drastically in the past 12 to 18 months. As of this morning, there are 55 homes on the market in Pelican Point, per multiple online sources. As with many upscale subdivision in our market, marketing time periods have increased. In other words, the Pelican Point market is not as "HOT" as it was when homes were reassessed in this "Mass Appraisal". This appraiser is not saying that home values have plummetted or declined significantly, but that it's taking longer to sell a home in Pelican Point. Pelican Point remains the "Premier" residential development to live in in Ascension Parish. **************
My Commentary: One can certainly understand how homeowners, under the Mass Appraisal method, may have been received excessive home assessments and may be paying too much in 2008 property taxes. One can certainly understand how unfair the Mass Appraisal method would be applied in Pelican Point Golf Community where home values range from $210K up to $670K. How can any professional valuation expert apply mass appraisal techniques to a variance of $460,000 between the low sales price and high sales price without mis-representing true value? In my opinion and experience, they probably can not. Based on my experience appraising homes in Pelican Point Golf Community, some homes are located on just the golf course, some on a superior golf course and lake views. Some homes are custom built with many extras. I think you see my point here.
If you believe that your Northern Ascension Parish home was over-assessed and you're paying too much in Ascension Parish Property Taxes, I would like to help!
I have over 17 years Experience in Real Estate Home Valuations, have appraised numerous homes in Pelican Point over the years and can assist you with your Tax Assessment Appeal.
E-Mail me so we can get your property taxes Lowered.
I cover Northern Ascension Parish, Western Livingston Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish and West Baton Parish.
Bill Cobb, CREA
P.O. Box 40515, Baton Rouge, LA 70835
225-293-1500 (Office)
1-888-678-3544 (Toll-Free Phone)
1-866-663-6065 (Toll-Free Fax)
225-953-0638 (Mobile)
http://www.getfastvalue.com (Website)
fastvalue2@cox.net (Email)
Accurate Valuations Group Appraiser, William D. Cobb, has operated as a home appraiser for 17 years now primarily in the Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana market. For more information on Accurate Valuations Home Appraisal Group, visit: http://www.getfastvalue.com
