How to appeal your home valuation in Denver

Some people bring handwritten notes, a few show up in person, but most just do it online.

Details: Whatever the method, you have until June 8 to appeal the latest property valuation with your county assessor's offices.

Why it matters: It's a chance to manage your tax bill after assessors in metro Denver announced sharp spikes in valuations last month across the front range.

• The process allows you to challenge a valuation if you don't think it's accurate, and potentially lower your property tax bill.

Be smart: You can start the process online.

Details: Denver county assessor Keith Erffmeyer's suggestion for filing a successful appeal is to keep it short. A one-sentence protest from a homeowner saying a valuation is too high is given the same attention as a multi-page one filed by a commercial site owner.

• Erffmeyer says people should provide details about what the assessor's office can't see that can impact your home's value, like a dated kitchen or bathroom or windows, or issues with the foundation or roof.
• He says anything that would give most people "pause when we go and look at a property and consider buying it" is probably worth mentioning.
• Providing values for homes similar to yours is encouraged.

Zoom in: In Denver, where the median home valuation rose by 33%, Erffmeyer tells us the number of protests filed so far is slightly higher than years when there were similar increases in valuations, like 2015, 2017 and 2019.

• He estimates 15,000 total protests will be filed this year, or roughly 6%-7% of all taxable structures in Denver.

Of note: Denver is required to provide you with a notice by Aug. 15 on whether the valuation has changed. If a homeowner still disagrees, they can appeal again.

What's next: State lawmakers passed a last-second bill to put a measure before voters this fall to reduce property tax rates in light of the high valuations.

• However, a lawsuit has been filed to stop the proposal from getting on the ballot, CPR News reports.