I have always found the Assessor’s office to be helpful and conscientious in my many dealings with them over the years. They have to be because they are constantly challenged in their decisions and rulings and have to justify and document them thoroughly. If anything, they tend to avoid conflict by leaning slightly toward the taxpayer’s side. The value of landscaping is murky, unlike hard and fast square footage and neighborhood comps, so you are likely to actually be underassessed for the true value of what you have done.
In contrast, I have many properties in Yuma County where I’ve done battle with the Assessor, and come out on the short end. Their property values have been falling in recent years (stabilizing now), and the Assessor has been completely unreasonable in recognizing that–revenues, you know. I only got some relief on two recent appeals by threatening court action and hiring and paying for a private appraiser to prove the lower values.
