Why did my property tax double while my neighbors' townhouses stayed the same?

This sounds like a reassessment error. It happens more often than you'd think! When properties in the same development have wildly different tax assessments despite being similar in size and features, it's usually because something triggered your specific property to be singled out for reassessment while others weren't. Common triggers include: recent sale of the property (even if it was a few years ago), permits pulled for any work (even minor), a partial assessment that got applied to the wrong property, or simple data entry errors at the county office. Sometimes the assessor might have incorrect information about your property - they could have your townhouse listed with an extra bathroom or finished basement you don't actually have. You absolutely can and should appeal this assessment. Most counties have a formal appeals process with deadlines, so check your county's property tax website ASAP. You'll want to gather evidence including: your neighbors' assessments for comparable townhouses, photos showing your property is similar to others, and any documentation showing your property hasn't had major improvements.

I went through something similar last year with my townhouse assessment and used taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to help with my property tax appeal. The system analyzed my assessment notice, compared it with similar properties in my area, and helped me build a really strong case showing that my property was being assessed unfairly compared to identical units in my complex. What I liked most was how it automatically identified the right comparable properties and created professional-looking documentation that actually impressed the assessment review board. It even gave me specific talking points for my hearing. Saved me tons of time researching property values and trying to figure out what makes a good appeal.

Just wanted to update - I took the advice about taxr.ai and tried it out. Not gonna lie, I was skeptical (as you could probably tell from my first comment), but the results were impressive. The system analyzed my assessment and found my property was being taxed based on 4 bedrooms when I only have 3! It also showed that my "premium view" assessment factor wasn't being applied to identical units with the same view. The documentation it generated was really professional - way better than anything I could have put together myself. Just had my hearing yesterday and they approved a 27% reduction in my assessment! The hearing officer actually said it was one of the most thorough appeals they'd seen. Definitely worth checking out if you're facing a similar situation.

If you're struggling to get answers from your assessor's office, I'd recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation where my property taxes jumped 75% while my neighbors saw minimal increases. Spent DAYS trying to reach someone at the county office - either endless hold times or voicemails that never got returned. Claimyr basically calls the assessor's office for you and navigates all those annoying phone trees, then calls you when they have a live person on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I was connected with an actual assessment officer who explained that my property had been incorrectly coded as having a finished basement (which I don't have). She immediately submitted a correction request while I was on the phone with her.

Alright, I need to eat my words from my previous comment. After fuming about the system being broken (still think it is), I decided to try Claimyr for myself. I was seriously prepared to come back here and rant if it didn't work, but... it actually did. I got connected to someone in the assessor's office in under an hour. Turns out they had classified my townhouse as an "end unit premium" when I'm actually in the middle. The assessor I spoke with was surprisingly helpful once I actually reached a human being. She submitted the correction immediately and estimated I'll see about a 30% reduction on my next tax bill. So yeah, while I still think it's ridiculous we have to go through these lengths to fix their mistakes, I can't argue with results. Sometimes you gotta spend money to save money, I guess.

Check your deed and make sure the square footage matches what the county has on file! My sister's property tax doubled because the county somehow added a zero to her square footage - they had her 1,200 sq ft townhouse listed as 12,000 sq ft! Took her months to get it fixed but she eventually got a refund for the overpayment. The assessment office claimed it was a "data entry error" but refused to pay interest on her refund 🙄

Definitely file an appeal, but also check if you've lost any exemptions you might have had before. When my mom's taxes suddenly increased, it turned out her homestead exemption had been removed by mistake. The county claimed they sent a verification form that she never returned, but she never received it. Once she reapplied for the exemption, her taxes went back down.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress! As a fellow single parent, I know how devastating an unexpected $270/month increase can be to a tight budget. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like you've already identified the main culprit - that 1,000 sq ft error in the county records! That's almost certainly why your assessment doubled while your neighbors stayed the same. A 57% increase in recorded square footage would absolutely explain a 95% jump in property value. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: 1. Gather your original purchase paperwork, closing documents, or any floor plans that show the correct 1,750 sq ft 2. Take photos of each room to document what you actually have vs. what they think you have 3. Print out your neighbors' assessments from the county website to show the disparity 4. File that appeal ASAP - most counties have deadlines (usually 30-60 days from when you received the notice) The good news is that square footage errors are usually pretty straightforward to fix once you have documentation. The bad news is you'll likely still need to pay the full amount by the due date even while appealing, but you should get a substantial refund once it's corrected. You've got this! With that obvious error in their records, you have a really strong case for getting this fixed.

I've been reading through all these responses and wanted to add one more important tip - document EVERYTHING during this process! Keep records of every phone call you make (date, time, who you spoke with, what was discussed), save copies of all paperwork you submit, and take photos of any documents you hand-deliver. I learned this the hard way when dealing with a similar assessment error a few years ago. The county "lost" my initial appeal paperwork, and because I didn't have proof of when I submitted it, I almost missed the deadline to refile. Now I always get receipt confirmations and keep a paper trail for anything involving government offices. Also, if you do end up needing to pay the full amount while appealing, make sure to note on your payment that it's "paid under protest" and keep a copy of that notation. This can be important if you need to pursue additional remedies later. Given that you've already found the square footage error, you're in a much better position than most people facing these sudden increases. That's concrete, measurable proof that should be pretty hard for them to dispute!