Lower Property Taxes by an attorney - Chicagoland Area

[Zulf H.]

Hi BP Members :

Hope you all are doing well. I recently bought a 9 unit bldg. and the previous owner had used an attorney to lower their assessed tax value. It was a 3 year commitment where they would pay the firm a portion of the saving. I have several other properties and I have not been doing the appeal. I am probably going to start working with someone to get the value assessed on all my other properties to see if I can save some money. Below are my questions:

1) Is this something I can do myself? Is it easy? I don't have a lot of free time but if its a simple process I don't mind doing it as I would save significantly since I have multiple properties.

2) Can you recommend any attorneys or firms that are good and focus in the Chicago area.

3) What is the average fees or % of savings that I should pay to these attorneys?

Thanks for your help!

Zulf.

[Derek Martin]

1. I agree with @David Stefanovic & @Brie Schmidt. You can definitely file the appeal yourself if you own the property in your name. However, properties held by corporations (LLC, LLP and any other corporate entities) MUST be represented by an attorney.

2. I have a great recommendation. He does primarily commercial (including apartment buildings) and works exclusively in Cook County. If you'd like his info, please DM me.

3. Savings will vary. Fee is typically around 1/3 but can vary depending on the property and tax amount.

Good luck @Zulf H.!