You win some you lose some! 

$25k rehab plus a $30k roof replacement via insurance claim (win!)

Coming in with the highest price doesn't come close to meaning you'll win the deal.

I won the case, but it took exactly 5 years to settle, EXACTLY, from the date the lawsuit was filed and I did not win money in court.

I'm thinking this doubling the rents is emotions winning ove logic. 

Reasoning is this: preservation wins in the long run.

Way too much stress, but simply bad luck I got dealt those cards.

Distinguish between good debt which earns you more than it costs each month and bad debt, such as credit card debt that sucks your life away. 

In general, Montgomery County is a bit more aggressive than other counties however, if you have good facts regarding your valuation, you will likely win, or at least get some type of relief.

They track single family houses for large differentials too.I've fought back and gotten a couple partial wins, and one where they backed off and dropped it entirely.Even though the hearing is "informal", treat it like going to court with biased judges.