Ownwell Evaluate 2025: Can A Property Tax Attraction Service Save You Cash?

How a lot are your property taxes?

In our county in Maryland, we pay a complete of $1.442 per $100 of assessed worth.

1.442% doesn’t sound like loads, however the median dwelling value in my county is round $580,000.

That’s $8,400 a 12 months.

After I obtained my property tax evaluation final 12 months, it included a major improve in assessed worth. We renovated a bit of the home, so a part of that was justified, however it appeared just like the soar was too excessive.

I made a decision to contest my property taxes myself and gained. The method, which you’ll be able to examine within the linked article, took a number of hours unfold throughout a number of weeks. And I used to be “lucky” in that I used to be given consequence on the first stage (simply filling out a type), so I accepted it.

In the event that they rejected my declare and required me to plead my case to a stay panel, I’m unsure I’d be as comfy doing that.

Luckily, there are companies on the market that may do it for you.

A kind of known as Ownwell.

At A Look

• Ownwell will enchantment your property taxes in your behalf
• Screens for tax exemptions based mostly in your particular person property
• No upfront charges – pay solely upon profitable discount of property taxes
• Pay 25% or 35% of financial savings, relying in your state
• Out there in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Texas, and Washington. (however increasing on a regular basis so test your state)
• Common financial savings is $1,148

Who Ought to Use Ownwell

Householders and Actual Property buyers who need to guarantee they aren’t overpaying their property taxes ought to take into account Ownwell. They may enchantment your property taxes for no upfront prices and also you pay a proportion of your financial savings in case your enchantment is profitable. So there isn’t a danger and no leg give you the results you want.

Desk of Contents

1. At A Look
2. Who Ought to Use Ownwell
3. Who Is Ownwell?
4. In Which States Does Ownwell Function?
5. When Can I Attraction My Property Taxes?
6. How Does Ownwell Work?
7. Discovering Exemptions and Claiming Refunds
8. Is Ownwell Legit?
9. Ownwell Charges
10. What are Ownwell Alternate options?
11. Is Ownwell Value It?
12. FAQs
13. Abstract

Who Is Ownwell?

Ownwell is a service that may contest your property tax assessments along with your taxing authority so you may pay much less in property taxes. They may also discover exemptions and different tax financial savings chances are you’ll not find out about or have neglected.

Ownwell was based by Colton Tempo and Joseph Noor in 2020. Tempo’s background in investing and asset administration gave him publicity to the varied instruments utilized by actual property buyers, and he wished to carry them to common householders. The result’s Ownwell, a service to contest property taxes.

Ownwell doesn’t function in each state (but).

In Which States Does Ownwell Function?

Ownwell isn’t in each state and for a number of the states they do function in, they aren’t in each single county.

As of Might 2025, they’re in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Texas, and Washington. It’s important to double test that your county is included (it’s not possible to listing each county right here although, California has 58 counties and Texas as 254!).

They’re including counties on a regular basis, so one of the best ways to know is to go to Ownwell and enter your tackle.

When Can I Attraction My Property Taxes?

The schedule for when you may enchantment will rely in your state and, in some instances, the county inside that state. They’re all on completely different schedules.

For instance, in Maryland, this course of solely occurs as soon as each three years. In New York, and plenty of different states, it occurs each single 12 months!

I requested Ownwell to offer a schedule (they usually did) however it’s slightly sophisticated and laborious to share on a single display screen… additionally, many dates are county particular they usually cowl so many counties that it’s unwieldly to listing all of it right here.

The tip result’s that the best factor to do is join Ownwell after which wait to your evaluation to reach. Then, enter within the particulars and determine whether or not it’s best to use them to contest your appraisal.

As there’s no price to enroll, you need to use their know-how that will help you handle the schedule and determine later if you wish to use them.

How Does Ownwell Work?

First, go to Ownwell and enter your tackle.

Since they don’t function in Maryland, I selected a random property in Humble, TX (a suburb of Houston). They service Harris County.

Go to Ownwell

It might not be value it for a home-owner to study the ins and outs of protesting property tax assessments for $473, particularly if it’s not a assure you’ll get any discount. But when I owned this dwelling and didn’t need to do it, I’d be completely comfortable hiring somebody on a contingency foundation (I pay provided that they win) – which is how Ownwell works (extra on charges later).

For those who proceed, you’ll be prompted to enter your data. (I’m utilizing a demo account, if you happen to do that your self, enter your data)

The following few screens verify data, like whether or not you bought this property within the final 18 months and the property proprietor’s title.

The final web page, after you’ve confirmed all the main points, authorizes Ownwell to behave as your Tax Agent. This lets them contact the taxing authority in your behalf and contest your property taxes.

From right here, you may log in and test the progress of your protest.

I consider Texas publishes them in April, after which you could have 30 days to protest.

It will range from state to state and in Texas, you may(and may) do that each single 12 months.

Go to Ownwell

Discovering Exemptions and Claiming Refunds

Along with contesting your evaluation this 12 months, they provide a service to find out whether or not you’re eligible for any tax exemptions. In the event that they discover any, they’ll even make claims on earlier years to get a tax refund.

There are loads of completely different tax exemptions on the market and these are difficult to maintain monitor of. For instance, right here in Maryland, now we have an Agricultural Use Evaluation that considerably lowers property taxes on areas the place you could have agreed to maintain to agricultural use. I solely knew about it as a result of the earlier proprietor had it.

We don’t develop something (business) on the land, it’s all wooded, however that counts. The one requirement is that we get an arborist to certify an agricultural use plan each few years, and we get a big low cost on the assessed worth of the undeveloped land. It has saved us hundreds of {dollars} a 12 months.

Ownwell seems for exemptions like that.

Then, they’ll monitor your taxes every year to verify all the pieces is right. If, for no matter purpose, an exemption is left off, they’ll be certain that to repair it.

Is Ownwell Legit?

Ownwell is a respectable firm and what they provide is a service that’s frequent in locations with excessive property taxes and annual value determinations. In Texas, which has excessive property taxes and annual value determinations, there are loads of corporations and attorneys that provide this service.

In performing some analysis, I discovered this insightful remark from Reddit (it’s two years previous however nonetheless correct):

These corporations are quite common the place I stay (in Texas, which has very excessive property taxes).

They bundle up loads of them collectively and settle with the county appraisal district. Round right here they cost 40%-50%. They aren’t a rip-off to the person however they definitely are at a distinct degree – one of many largest ones in Houston is run by a lawyer that was the county tax appraiser and is now a state senator. His firm is aware of how the sport is performed and earnings from it.

Personally I typically do my very own, however it takes just a few hours to place collectively protest bundle and go in entrance of the appraisal board. I’ve typically gained, primarily as a result of I do know what I’m doing and put in much more effort on my particular person property than the appraiser (who’s doing a whole lot of them) does. I type of loved the final one as a result of I did so a lot better than the appraiser did earlier than the board. He didn’t have his proof collectively, and it was the tip of the day they usually have been in a rush to finish the docket and dominated in my favor.

For those who don’t have time/don’t need to trouble/unsure learn how to protest it’s value a shot.

As you’ll study under, Ownwell expenses 25% in Texas (making it fairly a bit cheaper) and relying on how a lot they’ll save, they’ll additionally prevent a number of hours of labor (and an look in entrance of the appraisal board).

Ownwell Charges

Ownwell operates on successful payment mannequin – you solely pay them in the event that they win an enchantment and decrease your property taxes. They solely cost you in case your ultimate property tax invoice is diminished they usually have a signed doc out of your taxing authority to show it.

In the event that they aren’t in a position to decrease it, you pay nothing.

In California, New York, and Florida, the success payment is 35%. It’s simply 25% in every single place else.

For the above instance, if Ownwell will get a $473 discount in property taxes, I’d pay them $118.25. I hold $354.75.

How does this payment evaluate to different corporations? It is best to analysis this to your personal state, as it should range, however I discovered a tax agency in Texas that listed their pricing. On a single property, they charged 40% with a $149 minimal. For two-5 properties, it was 35% with no minimal. Solely 6+, it was 30%.

What are Ownwell Alternate options?

The most important various is to name an area regulation agency that makes a speciality of this identical sort of labor. There are many regulation corporations that provide this. Right now, I’m not conscious of an organization that operates in a number of states.

The tradeoff with utilizing an area regulation agency has to do with price. They’re usually not going to have the ability to work with particular person householders and nonetheless be capable to cost a small success payment. They typically have minimal charges and can solely take your case in the event that they see it as being “worth their time.” In a fast search myself, I discovered that corporations are very up entrance about this as a result of contesting value determinations is time intensive they usually don’t need to waste their time or yours.

As I discussed within the above part about charges, I discovered a tax agency that charged 40% payment with a $149 minimal. In Texas, Ownwell expenses simply 25% with no minimal.

Dwelling Tax Protect is an instance of an organization that operates in Texas. They cost a $30 annual payment after which a 30% success payment on tax financial savings. You are able to do all the pieces on-line they usually additionally use know-how to streamline the method. For those who assume they’re much like Ownwell, you’re paying $30 a 12 months plus an additional 500 foundation factors in your financial savings.

Alternatively, you may attain out to your actual property agent to see in the event that they can assist. This can be depending on how pleasant and accessible your agent is to the sort of assist. Some might do it free of charge, seeing it as part of their choices, whereas others gained’t.

Is Ownwell Value It?

It is dependent upon how a lot you worth your time and the way a lot of a return you count on to get. If I owned a house during which a protest was going to web me $500 and it’s one thing I’ve to do yearly, I’d extra extra prone to pay Ownwell a 25-35% success payment to deal with all of it for me. With 4 children and a slew of different duties, the ROI on my time simply isn’t there.

Additionally, the property tax evaluation course of varies from state to state. In Maryland, we solely must do it as soon as each three years and I had a private curiosity in studying the method (additionally, I used to be comfortable after the primary spherical discount – the work will get significantly extra concerned after the primary spherical). I notice I’m a weirdo like that, most individuals don’t care and simply need to lower your expenses.

The one factor I do know is that you have to contest your property tax evaluation. You might not win a discount, however you need to do it. These will increase will compound so you need to hold the will increase as little as potential.

For those who aren’t going to do it your self, getting another person to do it’s higher than taking the rise.

Go to Ownwell

FAQs

Abstract

Ownwell is an organization that may enchantment your property tax invoice in your behalf with no upfront charges. You’ll pay both 25% or 35% (relying in your state) of the financial savings they’ll get you. If they aren’t profitable at reducing your property tax invoice, then their companies are free.