I have personally never appealed my property taxes although after writing this article I intend to give it a try at my next opportunity. You've got really good odds of saving a chunk of change. The average Cook County appeal lowers property taxes by about $395. But there's so few people taking advantage of it! I know - it sounds like an annoying and scary thing to do with lots of red tape. That's why I haven't appealed either. I will hopefully remember to write up my experiences as I do so. If you've ever done it yourself please let me know in the comments about how it went for you!
In the meantime, it's Friday, which means it's stats day here at StrawStickStone. I'm a big fan of Harper's Index so here's a little Harper's style breakdown for you to ponder.
Property Tax Appeals
- Chances of a successful individual property tax appeal, 2007-2010: 75%
- Approximate percentage of Cook County homeowners who appealed: 5%
Illinois Lottery Scratch Tickets
- Percentage of players who break even on a $2 ticket... 22.6%
- Percentage of Americans who think scratch tickets are a practical way to get rich.... (more…)
