PITTSBURGH,None — Allegheny County residents who are outraged by their property reassessments lined up to fill out their formal appeals on Tuesday.
Channel 11 News spoke to several homeowners who said they are baffled by the process.
Some homeowners said they haven't done anything to improve their home, but their assessment has gone up dramatically.
Joan Snyder, of Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood, said she stood in line to appeal her assessment after her home's value nearly tripled -- at least, according to the county's estimate.
"We'd like to live in our house until we pass on and leave it to our heirs. My house is not worth what they're assessing it. Absolutely not worth that much money," Snyder said.
Allegheny County has done little to explain how the reassessments were calculated. Most homes are assessed based on recent sale prices of comparable properties. Many city residents said the new values are hard to digest.
"It went from $41,000 to $100,000 and all the comparable properties around me are in the $65,000 to $70,000 range. So the math just doesn't add up," said Crafton Heights resident Bill Whitfield.
A judge ordered Allegheny County to reassess, and now, many city residents said they're dealing with sticker shock.
In some cases, homeowners said not only have their home's values increased significantly without explanation, but the assessments also contain mistakes.
"I don't have the bedrooms they say I have. I don't have a log-burning fireplace. My house is 40 years older than what they say it is," said Rosemary Price of Carrick.
It has been 10 years since properties in Allegheny County have been reassessed. Pittsburgh and Mount Oliver residents have until Feb. 10 to file a formal appeal.
The remainder of assessments will go out in the next few months.
Previous Stories: December 30, 2011: Pittsburgh Parking Spot Assessed At $287K December 29, 2011: Homeowners Outraged Over Allegheny Co. Reassessments
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