King County launches eAppeals, easy online way to research & appeal property values

Now you can file a property tax appeal from the comfort of your home with just a few mouse clicks. King County eAppeals, allows taxpayers to research, compare and file a property value appeal all from their computer or tablet device – saving property owners time and money and streamlining the entire process. The new system went online June 10, 2013.

"We've been determined to make the property value appeal process easier, more informative, and more transparent to taxpayers," said King County Assessor Lloyd Hara. "With the launch of King County eAppeals, that day has arrived."

King County eAppeals allows taxpayers to research and file a property assessment appeal from start to finish. In Washington State, taxpayers can not appeal their property tax bill. Instead, they can appeal the property assessment that the property tax bill is based upon.

Using the eAppeals online service, taxpayers can look up their own assessed value (used in setting property taxes), and then search for sales of comparable properties through a series of user adjustable criteria. This will allow the taxpayer to compare their assessed value (fair market value) to that of similar sold properties, helping them to decide whether an appeal would be worthwhile.

Special tools allow a taxpayer to calculate what their proposed value would mean in terms of a potential property tax refund. From there, the taxpayer can set up an eAppeals account, pick their comparable sale properties, add any back- up information, and file their appeal – all online. By creating an account, taxpayers can then track the progress of their appeal and receive electronic notifications of when either, new documents are available, or their hearing is scheduled.

The new online system is significantly more taxpayer friendly. The existing paper-based appeal system can require lengthy research and document coordination by the taxpayer. With eAppeals, this research, coordination, and documentation can be accomplished electronically, saving taxpayers time and effort.

Using King County eAppeals is free.

The online service will save King County money in a variety of ways, by improving efficiencies and reducing paper documents and postage costs.

“Taxpayers are always asking what data was used to set my property value,” added Neal Cook, clerk to the Board of Equalization, “King County eAppeals let’s them search for comparable sale properties and even personally adjust the criteria to see if it all makes sense. This is a great step towards greater transparency in the entire appeal process.”

“This shows how technology can increase efficiency, improve customer service and lower costs long-term,” said Bill Kehoe, King County’s Chief Information Officer. “We’re able to automate and streamline the business process, give taxpayer’s 24/7 access to filing an appeal, and save money on paper, photocopying and postage. This is what One King County teamwork can deliver.”