Instead of simply adding the new 2012 values on the existing Allegheny County real estate website, (like the County did three weeks ago), Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald chose to create a new website called “Court Ordered Reassessment Values“. The new “Court Ordered Reassessment Values” website is a nightmare for residents because - due to a lack of an Allegheny County assessment search button -  it will make research much harder and require review of multiple websites instead of just one.

To help you better understand the madness of the new website, Flaherty & Fardo are her to tell you the 5 reasons why this new website actually makes it more difficult for property owners.

PROBLEM #1:You cannot find the new website

The problem is that there is no direct link from the old search page to the new Allegheny County assessment search page. So you are forced to find the property assessment home page and start from there. From there, this will still prove difficult for some residents to find the new website.

Solution:

A direct link needs to be added from the original real estate website search page to the new website’s Allegheny County assessment search page.

PROBLEM #2: The new site does not list the current assessments of the subject property or the comparables.

Property owners should be allowed to compare the increase in assessments for both their properties and their neighbors’ properties. By having 2 different webpages, the County has deliberately made it more difficult and time consuming to research your own assessment or that of your neighbors.

Solution:

Allow property owners to view assessments (both current and new 2012 values).

PROBLEM #3: There are no Maps.

The County deleted the map function in its entirety from the new site. The map can be important in locating comparable properties and streets to fight your assessment.

Solution:

Allow the property owners to view the maps.

PROBLEM #4: The Sales History of the subject property is gone.

The sales history of properties is relevant and necessary in reviewing property assessments. It makes no sense that the County removed them.

Solution:

Allow the property owners to view the sales history.

PROBLEM #5: The new site does not show SALE PRICES of the comparables, once you leave the comparable sales page.

This makes the new site almost impossible to use as an effective research tool. The new site has a link for a comparable sales page for properties, but if you click on any of those comparables, you no longer can view the sales price. The sales prices of comparables is the most important evidence for fighting unfair property assessments.

Solution:

Add the 2012 reassessment values to the original real estate website, like they were three weeks ago, so all of the information can be seen on a single screen.

CONCLUSION:

I believe Executive Fitzgerald does care about the taxpayers, but this new website is awful.

Allegheny County needs to add the new 2012 values to their original website so that taxpayers can see all of the assessments, maps, sales history and sale prices without having to view multiple computer screens. To keep the current format will only further harm the residents of Allegheny County.

If you have questions about Allegheny County property assessments, please feel free to get in contact with Flaherty & Fardo. We offer free consultations to help you seek justice in your Allegheny County Property Assessments.