“even if you can get the assessor to agree to assess your property for FY 10/11 at it’s REO price + 2%, once the rest of the REOs “shake out” in your area of 92103 and non-distress sales begin being routinely conducted once more, the assessor will have the right to increase your assessment for the next tax year to the market-rate purchased comparable properties.”

I am not asking for a temporary reassessment to market value, rather I am challenging the assessment that occurred as part of the transfer of ownership last fall. As far as I know these “initial” assessments are limited to 2% a year change regardless of whether or not the market improves.

I went back and looked at all of the sales in my neighborhood going back 6 months and forward 3 months. The only way they could have possibly got the price they did was to use “turn-key” properties that were heavily upgraded which our house is not.

My personal opinion is that they are basing their estimate of value on the fact that the property tax valuation was once in the stratosphere and they just can’t accept that prices really have come down that far.

Thanks for all the advice … we plan to fight this with every means we have available.