Plus, How to Appeal Your Kansas City Property Taxes by County
Many cities all over the country are experiencing the rise of property taxes. This is due, in part, to the surge of the housing market during the pandemic, just three years ago. (Doesn’t 2020 seem like a lifetime ago, not just three years?) CBS tells us that the typical home value went up 37% during that time, and many cities are still in a low-inventory, highly competitive market. So is it possible to contest the rising property taxes? The answer is yes, and we’ll specifically tell you how to appeal your Kansas City property taxes.
The Why and How Behind the Rise in Property Taxes
We talked above about some of the why, but the truth is, most cities and counties re-evaluate property values every year or two. This is why some of us are just now seeing this real estate market explosion reflected on our most recent property taxes.
Did you know, property taxes aren’t based solely on home values? They are also affected by public school budgets. Property taxes can also rise because of school budget increases.
Missouri falls around the middle (23) on the highest state rankings in property taxes. Kansas is even further above at 15. This means, we’re already facing higher property taxes than over half of the country. Whew! So when they rise even more, we’re not having it.
How to Appeal Your Kansas City Property Taxes
So what can you do about it? We’re so glad you asked! There are a few things you can do when you’re faced with unexpected (or expected) increases in your property taxes:
- Start with your real estate agent! At the very least, if you feel like the valuation of your home (provided by the county/city) is off, they can provide you with comps to help support a different home value.
- You can get an appraisal for your home to show exactly what it’s worth right now (and some counties will accept documentation that’s even a few years old, so if you’ve recently bought your home or refinanced, you’d already have this information handy.)
- Contact your county or city to ask about the appeal process. Assessments are supposed to be “revenue-neutral.” Counties and cities aren’t supposed to be trying to gain revenue through property taxes, so they should be open to helping you with a proper valuation and tax percentage for your home.
We have put together a table showcasing each KS and MO county that covers the Kansas City metro area. It shows how often they assess property taxes, deadlines to contest, information you may need and some helpful links to websites. We hope this information has helped you understand how to appeal your Kansas City property taxes, but like we mentioned above, if you have more questions, we’d be happy to help you if we can!
County | Assessment Year | Timeframe to Contest | Info Needed | Website/Process |
Platte MO | Every odd year | No later than the first week in July | Any documentation that would help - cannot be more than 2 years old (appraisal, inspection report showing issues that would lower value, etc.) | |
Clay MO | Every odd year | By July 11th | ||
Jackson MO | Every odd year | May 1st - July 10th | ||
Cass MO | Every odd year | By July 10th | Also attach copies of recent appraisals, sales contracts, closing statements, current listing agreements and the last 3 years income/expense statements to expedite this process | |
Johnson KS | Every year | On or before March 31st. | ||
Wyandotte KS | Every year | April 10th | Must have the PIN located on the back of your Annual Notice of Appraisal and Classification form | |
Leavenworth KS | Every year | 30 days from date county mailed notice |