For landlords and real estate investors
Free Property Tax Audit for Real Estate Investors
Travis Bunn·Published October 29, 2026Submit every address in your portfolio and we will tell you which properties are over-assessed, free. We check each property's county value against recent comparable sales and the assessment rules in its state, then email you the properties with a case worth filing, and why the rest are fairly assessed.
Free
audit of every property
$49
per packet, only where there is a case
50 states
residential, 1 to 4 units
100%
of the savings stay with you
How the audit works
- 1Submit your addresses. One per line, or paste a column from your spreadsheet. Add your name and email.
- 2We check every property. County value, recent comparable sales, the assessment math, and the sale history on record.
- 3You get a straight answer by email. Which properties have a case and what the evidence shows, and which ones to leave alone.
- 4File only the winners. Order the evidence packet for each property with a case, $49 each, and keep every dollar you save.
Why rental properties are more likely to overpay
Over-assessment is common for every kind of owner. The National Taxpayers Union Foundation estimates that 30 to 60 percent of taxable property is over-assessed, yet NTU president Pete Sepp told Bankrate that only 3 to 5 percent of homeowners appeal, and that 30 to 50 percent of those who do win some reduction.
Investors carry more of that risk, because many of the protections that soften an assessment are written for a primary residence. A rental usually gets no homestead exemption, and in many states it gets a looser assessment cap or a higher assessment ratio. Two examples:
- Florida. A homestead's assessed value can rise at most 3 percent a year (or the change in CPI, if lower) under Fla. Stat. 193.155. A non-homestead residential property, which includes most rentals, can rise 10 percent a year under Fla. Stat. 193.1554, and that cap does not apply to school levies.
- South Carolina. An owner-occupied legal residence is assessed at 4 percent of value. Other real property, including a rental house, is assessed at 6 percent under S.C. Code 12-43-220, so the same over-valuation costs a landlord one and a half times as much tax.
The result: when a county over-values a rental, more of the error reaches the tax bill, and it comes straight out of cash flow. Across a portfolio, even one or two over-assessed properties can be worth finding.
What we check on every property
- The value under appeal. The county's current market value for the tax year you can still contest, from the county's own record.
- Comparable sales. Recent sales of similar homes nearby, matched on size, age, lot and distance.
- The assessment math. The ratio and caps your state applies, so a high-looking number is not mistaken for an error, or the other way around.
- Sale history. If you bought recently, your own price is often the county's best evidence. We tell you when it helps your case and when it sinks it.
- The deadline. Whether the filing window for that county is still open, and when it closes.
We tell you when not to appeal
An audit is only useful if it is honest. When a property is fairly assessed, we say so and explain why, so you do not spend filing fees or a hearing day on a case you would lose. Often the reason is in the county's own records: a recent purchase above the county's value, or a tax jump that came from an assessment cap resetting at the sale rather than from a valuation error.
When a property does have a case, you get the same evidence we build for every AppealDesk packet: recent sales of similar homes near the property, the assessment math for your state, a cover letter for the county, and filing instructions written for that county's process and deadline.
Free audit vs. a contingency appeal firm
| AppealDesk | Contingency firm | |
|---|---|---|
| Finding out which properties have a case | Free | Usually free |
| Cost per property you appeal | $49 flat | A share of the tax savings |
| Who files and attends hearings | You, with our packet and county instructions | The firm |
| Savings you keep | 100% | What is left after the fee |
| Properties with no case | We tell you why, at no cost | Varies |
A contingency firm can make sense if you would rather not file yourself. See our comparison of property tax appeal services.
Questions investors ask
Can landlords and investors appeal their property taxes?
Yes. Any property owner can appeal an assessment, including owners of rentals and properties held in an LLC or trust. The process, deadline and board are set by the state and county where the property sits, not by how it is used.
What does the free portfolio audit cost?
Nothing, and no card. We check every property and tell you which ones are worth appealing. For each property with a case, you can order the full evidence packet for $49. If no property has a case, we tell you that and you owe nothing.
How many properties can I submit?
Up to 500 addresses in one submission, across any number of states. For a larger portfolio, submit in batches or email the spreadsheet to support@appealdesk.com.
What types of property do you cover?
Residential property in all 50 states: single-family rentals, condos, townhomes, and 2 to 4 unit buildings. We do not cover commercial property or apartment buildings of 5 or more units.
What do you check on each property?
We compare the county's current value against recent sales of similar homes nearby, check the assessment math your state uses, and read what the county records show about the property and its sale history. If you bought recently, your purchase price is part of the picture, and we tell you when it helps or hurts.
Do you file the appeals for me?
No. AppealDesk builds the evidence and you file. Each packet includes the comparable sales, a cover letter, and step-by-step filing instructions for that county. You keep 100% of what you save. We take no percentage of savings and charge no contingency fee.
My properties are owned by LLCs. Does that matter?
No. Submit the property address; the owner of record can be an individual, a trust or an LLC. In some states a sale or a change in who controls the owning entity resets the assessment, so mention any recent purchase or restructuring when we reply.
Find out which of your properties are over-assessed
Free for every address. You only pay $49 for a packet on a property worth appealing.
Submit your addressesFurther reading
AppealDesk provides evidence and information products. We are not a law firm, a licensed appraiser or a tax representative, we do not file appeals or appear at hearings on your behalf, and nothing here is legal advice.