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May of 2003 I applied to be a Real Estate Appraiser Trainee with the Los Angeles County Assessor as one of 900 applicants for 25 positions. Part of being a trainee included an 18 month probation period and a 12 month training program with including classroom education, several exams, field training in all facets of real estate appraisal, property tax law and the processes in place within the Assessor’s Office. If I failed any one of my exams or received a bad review by my trainer I would have been kicked out and let go.

After the one year long training program I took an exam with the State Board of Equalization and became a Certified Property Tax Appraiser. I was promoted from Trainee to Appraiser. Later, on my own I also became a licensed Residential Appraiser by the Office of Real Estate Appraisers which meant I could do private appraisals also, ones homeowners use for purchase and refinance. I bought my first home at the age of 23, my second at the age of 24, my third at the age of 25, so as I was working for the Assessor and learning appraisal I was also buying, selling and fixing up homes so I saw all facets of the process. Additionally, I was the administrator of a family estate at the age of 19 so I had already had a background in trusts and estates and my experience with the Assessor’s Office and in real estate opened my eyes to what I had done years earlier for my family.

Working for the Assessor is considered to be important as a result of the nature of the job. Establishing values, the public paid property taxes based on the amounts I saw fit. I have affected over 6,000 properties in Los Angeles County. The prestige comes from the nature of the position and the insight given through it. There is absolutely an artificial sense of power that goes along with the job; if taxpayers really saw the other side and fully understood the law and how it is, the prestige would be gone. The bottom line is always the numbers.

My job changed with the real estate industry: different types of work during different types of markets. I had a great reputation within the Assessors Office, was known for being fast, proficient and thorough. I was chosen by higher level management several times to work on different projects and help with other departments within the Office. When I left the Assessor to go to law school (which I dropped out of), months even up to a year after I left, homeowners would ask for me since I would assist them more than others who worked there. Even the clerks in the office would come to me with problems since they knew I would assist them. I had a bright future with the Assessor and would have risen through the ranks had I chosen to stay there.

NATIONALLY: In almost every state in this country property taxes are based on market value. Market value is the key. The biggest problem is that every Assessor in every county in every state is a MASS appraisal organization. They have hundreds of thousands of assessments to complete year after year and usually are understaffed. They exist to serve, to do their jobs to follow the law and to be as fair as possible. So often values aren’t where they should be because of the simple fact that they don’t have the time or the man power to be more thorough.

CALIFORNIA: California Property Tax law is unique and much different than most of the rest of the country. When the market started to really tank people start calling the office and coming in looking for help, looking for breaks. I was helping homeowners get the temporary tax break and I knew a better way. I know a way for homeowners in California to get a PERMANENT break in their property taxes. Completely legal, just sort of out of the box that wasnt kosher for me to share. Day after day, tax payer after tax payer…I knew a better way. Often they wouldn’t even qualify for the temporary break because of the way it is set up. Honestly, I felt compelled. I felt compelled to make the information known so that I could help homeowners in a substantial way. So, I left, created my program and am making it known.

If a homeowner can get your loan modified to permanently reduce how much you owe the bank for your house why shouldn’t the same apply to your property taxes? The law is ALWAYS on the homeowner’s side…you just don’t realize it!

While I worked for the Assessor I processed single family home values at 3 or 4 an HOUR… some were higher than they should have been since I didn’t have the time to make sure they were right and some were lower also. Only if the taxpayer complained was the assessed value researched. All homeowners need to learn some basic appraisal and assessment to ensure they are aren’t overpaying property taxes. Understanding is the key. Every homeowner can understand and handle this process to feel in control of what they are being taxed on their house.

Truthfully the Assessor is afraid of the people because the people, the tax payers, the homeowners are the ones who keep them in office. No one in assessments wants to deal with a disgruntled tax payer!

This is the bottom line: its not us against them or them against us. Its just understanding and dispelling fear in times like today. This is the GREAT news about this low real estate market! Its a time for homeowners to save and educate themselves so that they can be proud of their home ownership and know that they can save. Low real estate market means: modified loans, lower property taxes! Yes, the real estate market is down and this is how it can help you! This is one of the many reasons the retraction of the economy is good!

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