What if I think my assessment might not be Correct?
Gather some information to help you to decide!

Please be aware that we can only discuss your assessed value, not your tax bill or the amount of taxes the Common Council spends. It is the responsibility of your elected and appointed officials to decide how much money to collect in each year’s tax levy, including the Common Council, the School Board, the County Board, State Legislature, Metro Milwaukee Sewerage District and MATC.

The Assessor is responsible under State statute to divide the burden of tax equitably in each community.

First, you should make sure that our permanent records describe your property accurately.

Secondly, you should make sure that your assessment is in line with homes similar to yours in neighborhoods like yours.

Finally, you should make sure that your assessment is based on actual sales prices of similar properties at the time we performed our last “market-adjusted” Citywide Revaluation.

Both assessments and sales are available on the City of West Allis website (Google “West Allis Assessor”) or in the Assessor’s office at City Hall.

If this research does not clear things up for you, the next step would be to schedule an appointment to meet with a staff appraiser during the “Open Book” period identified on your assessment notice to discuss your assessment. Bring along any evidence you’ve gathered and/or a copy of a recent professional appraisal if you have one.

If after your meeting with a staff appraiser you want to appeal your assessment before the Board of Review, you may verbally present your evidence to them as sworn testimony and answer any questions they may have.

To request a hearing, you should obtain and complete an assessment objection packet from the City Clerk to schedule a date to testify. Once the packet is submitted, the Clerk’s office will schedule an appointment for you to appear to offer verbal testimony before the Board of Review.

The Board is made up of five citizens who are knowledgeable about the real estate market, appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council. It is the Board’s duty to hear verbal testimony and examine supplementary evidence presented by both the taxpayer and the Assessor’s office and to determine if the Assessment is in error and should be overturned.

Show All Answers

1. What does an Assessor Do?
2. What are property taxes for?
3. What do the terms on the tax bill mean?
4. What is a Revaluation?
5. What is a “valid” or Market Sale?
6. How do I know if my assessment is fair?
7. I have recently built a new home. Will cost to build my property be considered when my assessment is calculated?
8. The Estimated Fair Market Value shown on my tax bill is more than I think my house is worth, what do I do?
9. Does the location of my property influence its value?
10. If after discussing my assessment with the Assessor’s office staff I still think the assessment is not correct, what should I do?
11. What happens if you review my property after I buy it or take out a building permit; if you discover something that isn’t on your records, will my assessment increase?
12. Can my assessment change in the years between citywide revaluations?
13. Can the assessment on my property be changed even if the assessor has not been inside my property?
14. How can my assessment change when I haven't done anything to my property?
15. Will I be notified if there is a change in my assessment?
16. I just purchased my home for less (or more) than the assessed value. Will you change my assessment to match my sale price?
17. The family across the street was foreclosed on by the bank who sold their home for a lot less than the assessed value; isn't that proof my assessment should be lowered?
18. If market values do go down, doesn’t that mean our taxes should decrease along with them?
19. What if I think my assessment might not be Correct?
20. Why am I paying taxes on an assessment that's higher than my property is worth?
21. How does the assessor value property?
22. I have a refinance appraisal – Will you change my assessment to the appraiser’s value?
23. Why do assessors avoid considering foreclosure or estate sales when calculating assessments?
24. What will happen to my assessment if I improve my property?
25. Will my assessment go up if I repair my property?
26. How does my assessment affect taxes?
27. Do the market values of all properties change at the same rate and over the same time frame?
28. What happens after the Board of Review makes its decision?
29. What is the Board of Review?
30. What is the Board of Review and what evidence do I need to present during a hearing?
31. I have heard that property values have gone down dramatically all across the Country recently, how does West Allis compare?