American Property Tax Counsel (APTC) is the only organization of law firms providing major portfolio owners with a single source for all their property tax reporting and tax reduction needs. Today, APTC covers the U.S. and Canada, serving clients in every category of real estate from apartments to shopping centers.
Local Expertise with National Representation
APTC member law firms are local. Thus, they are knowledgeable about and experienced in local laws, procedures, policies and legal precedents. Since property tax laws differ significantly from state to state, the local nature of the organization has benefited clients.
Inclusive Advocacy - from Administrative Levels Through the Courts
APTC represents its clients through the entire appeals process and into court. By representing clients from the very first level of appeal, APTC becomes a powerful advocate in optimizing reductions in clients' property taxes. APTC's effectiveness on behalf of its clients is enhanced by its knowledge sharing techniques.
Real Estate and Personal Property Taxation
In every jurisdiction that real estate and personal property taxes can be contested, an APTC member has the requisite expertise to handle all of the appropriate appeal issues.
President’s Message
Linda Terrill
Property Tax Law Group, LLCThe country now seems to be slowly recovering from a deep recession, which severely impacted real estate tax values. Across the country assessors are thus beginning to increase assessed values to – in their view – better reflect the realities of our post-recession market. This phenomenon will therefore require close attention to the new values being issued to make certain they do, in fact, reflect this slow real estate valuation recovery. Our member firms are on the forefront of the legal precedents and valuation methodologies to address these assessment increases and stand ready to assist property owners in evaluating, and if necessary, contesting these revised values.
Recent Published Property Tax Articles
Look Beyond Price to Cut Property Taxes
The Purchase amount isn't necessarily a valid proxy for taxable value.Multifamily Property owners and Appraisers are often creatures of habit. They generally calculate a property's value for tax purposes the same way they do for an investment. If an apartment complex recently traded for 10 million, the buyer's appraiser may reason...
Read moreAssessment Shock and Awe in NYC, and your Properties are the Target
The newly released New York City Tax Assessment Roll had a total market value of$1.258 trillion. These results are shockingly bad news for the real estate industry. On average, tax assessments increased by about 9.4 percent.
The breakdown of increases in the assessments are also very surprising, with residential apartments growing...
Read moreValue the Dirt or the Dollars?
Property taxes should reflect the value of the real estate being taxed, not the needs of governmental entities that share in the tax. However, assessors are under increasing pressure to maintain or enhance property tax revenue. The result is a growing and improper tendency by assessors to use the success...
Read moreMember Spotlight
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Norman Bruns concentrates his practice on state and local taxation with particular emphasis on valuation disputes and other property tax matters in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. His property tax experience includes a wide variety of commercial, industrial and utility properties...