Commercial Tax Exemption Appeals Attorney
Every business must face many obstacles on the pathway to success. Overpaying property taxes should not be one of them. Real estate owners in the Chicagoland area, whether the property is for commercial or residential use, know that unreasonable tax assessments from the local or state government can add a huge financial burden for any property owner. When your property taxes are inaccurate and burdensome, they cut into your ability to invest in other business endeavors and to properly manage the properties you do have.
When you get a tax assessment that presents a wholly inaccurate view of your property value, or when vacancies, changes in the market, or building and community conditions depress the market value and revenue stream for your commercial property, you have options to challenge your tax burden. We can help.
Decades of Experience Helping Commercial Real Estate Developers
At MacDonald, Lee & Senechalle, Ltd. , our experienced and effective commercial real estate attorneys have successfully advocated for hundreds of Chicagoland clients at all stages of real estate transactions, from securing funding to effecting purchase and sale of commercial real estate, to responding to burdensome tax assessments. We have over a century and a half of combined legal experience. Our commercial real estate team has a broad spectrum of skills and specialties, with a deep knowledge base in everything from contract drafting and negotiation, to zoning and industrial use, to tax appeals and insurance claims. Contact the Hoffman Estates or Des Plaines offices of MacDonald, Lee & Senechalle, Ltd. for a consultation on any matter pertaining to your existing or upcoming real estate transaction or development.
Tax Assessments Are Far From Perfect
Tax assessments are meant to determine the fair market value of the property, and then assess a level of taxes based on the type of property. If your tax assessment appears entirely disconnected from reality, you are not alone. Tax assessment is not a science; it is an educated guess about the value of a property. Several factors go into the assessment, including:
- The condition of the property, including whether it is temporarily uninhabitable
- The number of vacancies, including whether market factors have limited your ability to find commercial or residential tenants
- Temporary declines in revenue caused by renovations entitling you to tax relief
- Comparison to other similar properties in similar areas
State and local regulations may provide other factors, or they may provide exemptions. If your tax assessment failed to adequately account for any of these factors or exemptions, you might be entitled to tax relief. The real estate tax appeals lawyers at MacDonald, Lee & Senechalle are ready to evaluate your tax assessment and identify any inaccuracies that are ripe for challenge.
Helping Clients Reduce Their Tax Burdens Through Appeals
Your tax assessment is not the final word on the matter. You can challenge your tax assessment at county Assessors’ Offices, Boards of Review, and at the State Property Tax Appeal Board. Tax appeals can be complex and can only be taken within certain time periods. The dedicated real estate tax appeals lawyers at MacDonald, Lee & Senechalle will investigate your assessment, gather appropriate evidence, and guide you through the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the tax appeals process. We fight for the rights of our clients to obtain appropriate, accurate tax assessments that accurately reflect the value of their property.
If you’re in need of sophisticated, qualified, and dedicated legal advice and representation concerning your Chicago-area commercial real estate taxes, contact the offices of MacDonald, Lee & Senechalle, Ltd. for a consultation, in Hoffman Estates at 847-310-0025, or in Des Plaines at 847-298-5030.
