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Property Record Errors That Can Lower Your Property Taxes
The county's file on your home isn't always right. Wrong square footage, a bathroom that isn't there, a basement you don't have — these factual errors are some of the cleanest property tax appeal wins there are.
The short version
- Your county keeps a property record card describing your home — square footage, rooms, basement, condition. If it's wrong, your assessment can be too high.
- Record errors are factual, not a matter of opinion, which makes them some of the easiest appeals to win.
- Common culprits: overstated square footage, a finished basement you don't have, a phantom bathroom or bedroom, or a condition rating that's too generous.
- Pull your card, compare it to reality, document the gap, and raise it within the 45-day appeal window.
Somewhere in your county's system is a file that describes your home in numbers: how many square feet, how many bathrooms, whether the basement is finished, what condition it's in. That file helps drive your assessed value — and sometimes it's simply wrong. When it overstates your home, you're being taxed on a house you don't actually own. The good news is that these errors are among the most straightforward things to fix in an appeal, because they're facts, not arguments.
This guide shows you what a property record card is, the errors that most often inflate a value, how to find them, and how to turn a correction into a lower bill. Remember the Georgia baseline: your assessed value is 40% of fair market value (FMV), and when the record overstates your home, the FMV it supports is too high.
What is a property record card?
A property record card (sometimes called a property card or appraisal card) is the county's data sheet on your parcel. It typically lists your home's heated/finished square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, basement and whether it's finished, garage, year built, lot size, and a condition or quality rating. Most counties make it available online or on request.
The county uses this description — often updated only periodically — to value your home. If any of it is inaccurate in a way that makes your house look bigger, newer, or nicer than it is, your assessment can ride too high on the strength of bad data.
The errors that most often inflate your value
Overstated square footage
This is the big one. Square footage is a primary driver of value, so if the county has you down for 2,800 finished square feet and you actually have 2,400, that 400-square-foot phantom can meaningfully lift your assessment. Measurement mistakes, counting unfinished space as finished, or never updating after a record was first created all cause this.
A finished basement you don't have
Finished basement space is usually valued differently from unfinished space. If the record shows a finished basement and yours is bare concrete and storage, that's a correctable factual error.
Phantom bathrooms or bedrooms
Records sometimes list a bathroom or bedroom that doesn't exist, or count a room that was never permitted or completed. Each can nudge the value upward.
An over-generous condition or quality rating
If the county assumes your home is in excellent condition when it has a failing roof, dated systems, or deferred maintenance, the value can be inflated. This one shades into condition evidence, but it often starts with the record's rating.
Other mismatches
Wrong year built, a garage or feature you don't have, or incorrect lot size can all play a role depending on how your county values them.
A comps argument is a judgment call — reasonable people can weigh sales differently. A record error isn't. If the card says you have a feature you demonstrably don't, the county has to correct it. That's why record errors are some of the most reliable appeals, and a great first thing to check before you even look at comparable sales.
How to find the errors
It's a short, satisfying detective exercise:
- Pull your property record card from the county assessor's office or website.
- Read it line by line against what your home actually is. Walk through the house with the card in hand.
- Check the square footage especially closely. If you have measurements, a floor plan, an appraisal, or builder plans, compare them.
- Verify rooms, basement, and features. Count bathrooms and bedrooms. Is the basement really finished? Is that garage real?
- Note the condition rating and whether it matches reality.
Not sure where to start?
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How to document and fix it
Finding the error is half the job; proving it is the other half. Gather evidence that makes the correction undeniable:
- Measurements — your own careful measurements, a floor plan, a survey, or a recent appraisal showing the true square footage.
- Photos — clear, dated images of, say, the unfinished basement or the missing feature.
- Documents — builder plans, prior appraisals, or permits that establish the real layout.
Then raise the correction through the appeal process. You file with the county Board of Assessors within 45 days of the date on your Notice of Assessment. Often a clear factual error is fixed at this first review without ever needing a hearing — but if it isn't resolved, you can present it at a Board of Equalization hearing, where a factual correction tends to land cleanly.
Even the most obvious record error has to be raised in time. The 45-day clock starts on the date printed on your notice, not the day you open it. If you spot an error, file the appeal first — you can keep assembling your documentation after it's in.
The bonus: a correction can last three years
Fixing a record error isn't just a one-year savings. If your appeal succeeds, Georgia's 299(c) value freeze (OCGA § 48-5-299(c)) generally prevents the county from raising your assessed value for the appeal year plus the next two — a three-year freeze, barring substantial improvements. So a single afternoon of measuring and documenting can protect your bill for years. More on that in our guide to the Georgia 3-year property tax freeze.
Property record errors are real, common, and very fixable — often the cleanest win in the whole appeal toolkit. If you'd rather not pull the card, take the measurements, and handle the filing yourself, that's exactly the kind of work we do. And we'll always tell you honestly whether the error is big enough to be worth chasing. No win, no fee.
Property record errors FAQ
What is a property record card?
It's the county's data sheet describing your home — finished square footage, bedrooms and bathrooms, basement, garage, year built, lot size, and a condition or quality rating. The county uses this description to help value your property, so an error that overstates your home can push your assessment too high. Most counties make the card available online or on request.
What property record errors most often raise my taxes?
The most common are overstated square footage, a finished basement that's actually unfinished, a phantom bathroom or bedroom, and a condition or quality rating that's too generous. Wrong year built, a feature you don't have, or incorrect lot size can also matter. Square footage usually has the biggest effect because it's a primary driver of value.
How do I prove a property record error?
Document the gap between the record and reality. Useful evidence includes your own careful measurements, a floor plan, a survey or recent appraisal showing true square footage, dated photos of an unfinished basement or missing feature, and builder plans or permits. Then raise the correction in your appeal — clear factual errors are often fixed at the Board of Assessors' first review.
Why are record errors considered easy appeal wins?
Because they're factual, not a matter of opinion. A comparable-sales argument requires judgment about which sales count and how to weigh them. A record error is verifiable: if the card lists a feature your home demonstrably doesn't have, the county must correct it. That makes record errors among the most reliable appeals — and a smart first thing to check.