DeKalb, Fulton County homeowners may see increase in property tax after receiving tax assessments

ATLANTA — For more than 65 years, Doris Gore’s DeKalb County home has been in her husband’s family.

But it sits in a fast gentrifying neighborhood near East Lake Golf Club and every year the appraised value on the tax assessment keeps going up.

“If you’re trying to sell, it is good. But if you’re just living in it, no it’s not, no it’s not,” Gore said.

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Fulton and DeKalb counties both mailed out tax assessments to homeowners over the past few days.

These assessments are not bills, those come later.

However, many homeowners will likely see yet another increase in their property taxes.

Overall, Georgia property tax collections rose 41% just from 2018 to 2022, with total assessed value rising by nearly 39%.

“We’re on a budget, so everything is going up, but no more money is coming in. But you still have to pay your taxes,” Gore told Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Justin Gray.

But you don’t necessarily have to pay the amount on that tax assessment. Georgia property owners have a right to appeal those assessments within 45 days.

“The value that is put on that notice is an opinion,” said Ownwell CEO Colton Pace. “They’re valuing millions of properties all at the same time. So, there’s lots of room for errors.”

Ownwell is one of many private companies you can hire to appeal a property tax assessment that does not charge money upfront. However, it does take a cut of any tax savings.

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But you don’t have to hire a company. You can file the appeal yourself, free of charge.

And even if you don’t get a tax reduction, by Georgia law by going through the appeal process you are eligible for a multiyear tax assessment freeze.

The Gores never realized appealing the assessment was an option.

“I didn’t know that you could appeal for your taxes. But now, since I know I will be doing it,” Gore said.

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