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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > September > 24 > Entry
Propery appraisals - one homeowner’s story
George Kiniyalocts owns properties across Middletown that he says were improperly appraised in Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds’ recently complete property value re-appraisal.
A home in a low income Woodlawn Avenue neighborhood he bought in 2005 for $28,000 was appraised for $65,150, for example. Kiniyalocts said there’s no way he could sell it for that.
The increase was partially because it was compared to a home in the nicer Arlington Avenue neighborhood that Middletown City Councilman David Schiavone sold in October 2007 for $83,000.
The home wasn’t compared to a home across the street that sold for $21,000 this year. But Reynolds says state law won’t allow him to take into account 2008 sales, or bank or sheriff sales for that matter.
This flawed formula hurts low income homeowners most of all, Kiniyalocts worried.
“The houses that got hurt the most are the cheapest ones of all,” he said. “They’re people probably having to work two jobs just to keep the house, and here they are their taxes are going up when they should be coming down.”
And while Kiniyalocts will fight to lower his properties’ appraised values — and likely win, since Reynolds announced he’ll give leeway to those who protest — he said many don’t have the resources to fight.
“Not only are they (low-income residents) least likely to complain and least likely to afford it, but they’re also probably the most trusting in the county for doing it right the first time and not putting the job of the appropriate appraisal back on the shoulders of the homeowners.”
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: County Auditor
Comments
By Bill
September 25, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this
Mr. Kiniyalocts is appears to misunderstand the process (and Josh does nothing to correct him). There are no “resources” needed to challenge property appraisals, it’s a free process and all it takes is a call to the auditor’s office to start the procedure. This appears to me to be the Journal attempting to make it appear that the Auditor’s office is taking advantage of the “little guy”.
By Bill
September 25, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this
Mr. Kiniyalocts is appears to misunderstand the process (and Josh does nothing to correct him). There are no “resources” needed to challenge property appraisals, it’s a free process and all it takes is a call to the auditor’s office to start the procedure. This appears to me to be the Journal attempting to make it appear that the Auditor’s office is taking advantage of the “little guy”.