NATHAN AUSTIN PROPERTY TAX APPEAL
Think your property is overvalued? I’ll handle the appeal.
I file property tax appeals in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. I do the evaluation and all the paperwork, and I represent you at the hearing. You pay my fee only if your taxes go down.
Late October
Your county mails the 2026-27 property tax statement. It shows the market value an appeal can challenge.
December 20, 2026
Last day for the last required client signature (Pacific time) to lock in my standard 22.5% fee. When the last required client signature is completed after this date, it is a holiday rush and my fee is 50%.
December 31, 2026
The county’s deadline to file an appeal for the 2026-27 tax year.
February to April 15, 2027
Expected hearing season at the county’s Property Value Appeals Board. The county’s notice sets your date.
How it works
Tell me about your property
Fill out the short form below with your name, contact information, the property address and its county. Your tax account number helps if you have it handy; it is printed on your tax statement.
Review and sign the agreement
I send you my terms of service and agreement, along with the state form that authorizes me to represent you. Nothing is filed until both are signed.
I evaluate your value
I compare the county’s market value for your property with recent sales and the condition of your home as of the January 1, 2026 assessment date. I also check whether a lower value would actually lower your bill. If an appeal can’t save you money, I tell you, and we stop there at no cost.
I prepare and file the appeal
I complete the petition, assemble the evidence and file it with your county’s Property Value Appeals Board before the December 31, 2026 deadline.
I represent you at the hearing
Hearings are expected between February and April 15, 2027, on the date in the county’s notice. I present the case on your behalf, so you don’t need to attend.
You pay only if your taxes go down
If the board lowers your value and your 2026-27 tax bill goes down, my fee is 22.5% of that savings when the last required client signature on the agreement is completed by December 20, 2026 (Pacific time), or 50% when it is completed on or after December 21. Your rate is locked in at that signature. If the appeal doesn’t lower your taxes, you owe me nothing.
What it costs
| Multnomah County | Washington County | Clackamas County | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County filing fee (you pay the county) | $30 per tax account | No fee | County filing fee, if any (I confirm it before filing) |
| My fee | 22.5% of your 2026-27 tax savings, only if the appeal lowers your taxes (last required client signature by December 20, 2026, Pacific time) | ||
| Holiday rush fee | 50% of your 2026-27 tax savings, only if the appeal lowers your taxes (last required client signature December 21 or later, Pacific time, up to the county deadline) | ||
| How you pay | Directly to me by Zelle, check or bank transfer, with no added fee. Card payments are planned through a payment processor; a card surcharge, capped at 3%, is shown to you before you pay. | ||
| If the appeal doesn’t lower your taxes | You owe me nothing | ||
Sign by December 20, 2026 to lock in 22.5%. Your rate is set by the date of the last required client signature on the agreement, Pacific time.
Filing fees are set by each county. Multnomah and Washington fees were checked in October 2026; Clackamas County’s fee is being confirmed. I confirm the current fee before anything is filed.
Filing rules by county
- Multnomah County property tax appeal: mail or in person, $30 per tax account.
- Washington County property tax appeal: no filing fee.
- Clackamas County property tax appeal: five copies; filing fee, if any, confirmed before filing.
Good to know before you start
For an ordinary home, assessed value is generally the lower of the county’s real market value and the property’s maximum assessed value. Maximum assessed value follows growth rules set by state law, with exceptions for things like new construction and other qualifying changes.
A lower market value may lower your assessed value, or it may lower your taxes through Oregon’s constitutional limits on property taxes, called compression. It may also produce no tax saving at all. I review the county’s records and the limits that apply to your property before recommending an appeal and before you pay any filing fee.
Start your appeal
Tell me about your property and I’ll send the agreement and next steps. Sending this form does not file an appeal; nothing is filed until the agreement and authorization are signed.
Questions
When do property tax statements come out?
Each county mails the year’s property tax statements in late October. Multnomah County mails before October 25; Washington County mailed October 17 to 21 last year. The first payment for 2026-27 is due November 16, 2026. The statement shows the real market value the county set as of January 1. That value is what an appeal challenges, so the appeal season runs from when the statement arrives until December 31.
When is the deadline?
Appeals for the 2026-27 tax year must be filed with the county by December 31, 2026. To lock in my standard 22.5% fee, the last required client signature on the agreement must be completed by December 20, 2026 (Pacific time). I can still take an appeal after that, until the county deadline, as a holiday rush: when the last required client signature is completed on or after December 21, my fee is 50% of the tax savings, to cover working through the holidays.
What does it cost to file?
Multnomah County charges a filing fee of $30 per tax account, paid to Multnomah County. Washington County does not charge a filing fee. Clackamas County’s filing fee, if any, is being confirmed, and I will tell you the amount before anything is filed. You are responsible for any filing fees whether or not the appeal succeeds. I will tell you before anything is filed.
How is your fee calculated?
My fee is 22.5% of the amount your 2026-27 property tax bill goes down because of the appeal, when the last required client signature on the agreement is completed by December 20, 2026 (Pacific time). When it is completed on or after December 21, the appeal is a holiday rush and my fee is 50% of the savings. Your rate is set by the date of that signature and does not change after that. If the appeal is not successful, you owe me nothing. You pay me directly by Zelle, check or bank transfer, with no added fee. Card payments will be offered later through a payment processor; if you pay by card then, a card surcharge of no more than 3% applies, and I show it to you before you pay.
Will a lower value always lower my taxes?
Not always. A lower market value may lower your assessed value, or it may lower your taxes through Oregon’s constitutional limits on property taxes, called compression. It may also save nothing. I review the county’s records and the limits that apply to your property before recommending an appeal.
Can a real estate broker represent me?
Yes. Oregon law (ORS 309.100) allows a licensed real estate broker to represent a property owner at the appeals board with the owner’s signed Authorization to Represent form, which I send with the agreement.
Do I need to attend the hearing?
No. I represent you. You are welcome to attend if you would like to.
Can you appeal past years?
No. The appeals board only hears the current tax year, 2026-27.
What happens after the board decides?
I send you the board’s decision as soon as I receive it. This service covers the county board only. A further appeal to the Oregon Tax Court is a separate decision with its own deadline and filing fee.
This page explains a service; it is not legal or tax advice. The appeals board decides every appeal, and no result is guaranteed. Nathan Austin Property Tax Appeal is Nathan Austin’s own business. Nathan Austin, Oregon licensed real estate broker #201244900.