To obtain our services (without charge) to evaluate whether your assessment for 2010 is excessive, please complete our Power of Attorney form and our Representation and Fee Agreement form.

To further assist us in determining the likelihood of winning an appeal to lower your real estate taxes, please complete the forms listed below. All forms may be printed and completed. For many forms, you may type information in the fields and then print.

Owners of any type of property, including vacant land, should complete the Property Features Questionnaire form and the Property Transaction Questionnaire form.

• Photos may be taken of deterioration to your property, functional problems concerning your property and conditions external to your property which negatively impact value.

• Estimates to repair deterioration or a letter from you giving your estimate of repairs based on your conversations with contractors and suppliers is necessary to obtain discounts for deterioration from a normal value.

Additionally, owners of all property types should visit the Allegheny County Real Estate Website and go through the following steps.

1. Enter your "Block/Lot number", and if there are errors in the initial screen for “OWNER GENERAL INFORMATION", print the screen and correct errors by making handwritten notations, especially as to "lot area".

2. Then click the "Image" tab to access the screen for "IMAGES". If there is a photo and or a building footprint image of your improvement, verify the photo is of your property, and the accuracy of the building footprint image, with the understanding that all measurements are outside measurements. If there are inaccuracies, again, print the page, draw an "X" through the inaccurate image and make a handwritten note that either image or both are not correct.

3. Then click the "Building Information" tab to access the screen for "RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS". Review all information, and if there are errors, print the screen and correct errors by making handwritten notes.

Completed forms and County Assessment Website screens with your corrections, each signed by you, and any estimates of repair or your letter describing needed repairs with verbal estimates or your estimates of labor and materials, should be faxed to 412-391-1962 or mailed to John M. Silvestri, Esq., 1000 N. Negley Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206-1528. Photos which are digital may be e-mailed, analog photos must be mailed.

Property Type

Owner Occupied Residential

• In reviewing the "RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS" page on the Allegheny County Real Estate Website, the most important data to correct is "Finished Living Area". Measurements must be based on outside dimensions. "Finished Living Area" includes garage space and unfinished basement areas, but not areas above floors which have cathedral ceilings or attic type areas which are unheated or have no flooring or walls.

• If the square feet of "Finished Living Area" is not correct on the "RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS" page, prepare a diagram and calculation for submission with other materials.

• For a base year 2002 appeal, provide either Schedule E for 2001 and 2002 or operating statements for 2001 and 2002.

• For a current year appeal, provide either Schedule E for last year and the prior year or operating statements for last year and the prior year.