scpetition_valuation.pdf
Shamus Oatis Petitioner V Township Of Grand Rapids Respondent · 26-002724-TT
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STATE OF MICHIGAN GRETCHEN WHITMER GOVERNOR DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS LANSING MARLON I. BROWN, DPA DIRECTOR 1 of 3 PROPERTY TAX APPEAL PETITION FORM VALUATION / UNCAPPING APPEAL MTT DOCKET NO. Petitioner’s Contact Information: Filer Type: Individual Local Unit of Government: First Name Shamus M.I. Last Name Oatis Mailing Address (No., Street, P.O. Box or Rural Route) 3569 Vineyard Avenue NE City or Town Grand Rapids State Michigan ZIP Code 49525 Telephone Number 6162500387 E-mail Address shamusoatis33@gmail.com Subject Property Information: How many parcels are you appealing? 1 If you are appealing more than one parcel, are they contiguous or adjoining? *If no, you must file separate appeals for each parcel N/A Property Address (No., Street) 3569 Vineyard Avenue NE City or Town Grand Rapids County Kent State Michigan ZIP Code 49525 Taxing Authority (City or Township) Township of Grand Rapids (KENT) Check which of the following you are appealing: (check all that apply) Taxable Value Only (calculation) Please Explain the Reason for this Appeal:
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STATE OF MICHIGAN GRETCHEN WHITMER GOVERNOR DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS LANSING MARLON I. BROWN, DPA DIRECTOR 2 of 3 Hello, my name is Shamus Oatis and I live at 3569 Vineyard Avenue NE. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525 in the Grand Rapids Charter Township. My wife and I are first time new homebuyers and we bought our home in January of 2025. I am writing to ask for your consideration to be able to appeal my assessed property tax amount for 2026. The assessor in Grand Rapids Charter Township, Bryan Jager, has informed me that he believes he was "overzealous" in his assessment of my property taxes for this year. To give some context, in January of 2025, I purchased the home for $299,000. The assessed value and taxable value for 2025, with a transfer of ownership resulting in a taxable value uncapping, was $127,600. Over the last year, I have not taken out any loans to remodel the home and in January of 2025, when I purchased the home, the appraisal I paid for came back at $306,000. I would have assumed my taxable value and assessed value for 2026 would have been in the ballpark of $155,000 to match with the approximate value of the home. However, Bryan assessed the home to be a taxable value and assessed value at $185,400 for 2026. This seems excessive. By this number, he assumes my house is worth $370,000 approximately. If I could sell my home today to Bryan for that price, I would do so. I know my home is no where near that worth considering the above details I mentioned. As I stated above, being a new first time homebuyer, I was not looking for "alarm bells" when I received my proposed taxable value letter from the township in the mail earlier this year. Due to my lack of knowledge in this area as a new homebuyer, I trusted what the township and escrow from my mortgage company were doing in the background to provide the tax amount and pay it from my escrow and review it when it was time to pay it. I was greatly disappointed when I found out today from the township that since I did not file an appeal during the approximate 3 week window in February before the March Board of Review meeting, I am out of luck and the extremely high tax value that Bryan input for my property is what I have to pay. I am writing to appeal this to you at the Michigan Tax Tribunal now, even though I have been informed that this is a waste of time because I did not "attend" the March Board of Review and that this was just be "dismissed". This certainly can't be the only time this ever happens where a resident in this state is unaware of the rules behind appealing a bad property tax assessment? I humbly come to you all here at this tribunal to ask for you to take this case and go to the Grand Rapids Charter Township to have my taxes reassessed for this year. I have a pregnant wife, we are expecting our first born in September, we will be only on one income, and to just give the township an extra $1,500+ dollars because of what one person assessed the property at and willingly said it was a mistake is very disappointing. I don't have this type of money to just give the township for no good reason. I understand that at the end of the day this is looked as "my fault" for not being educated into knowing about this three week window to make an appeal but I have never heard of anyone in my life having a bad property tax assessment. These are the things I wish were taught in our schools so that more people who are first time homebuyers know what to expect to be able to live and know what to look out for when these things happen. Your mission statement says that you all aspire to be an administrative tax court that inspires trust in the Michigan tax system through accessibility, transparency, and service to the public. Please, appeal to the public that need your support in matters that are extenuating like this one. Education and accessibility are just as important as the processes put into place and I would argue that if process is put into place but not adequate eduction, then what is the process really doing for those that have to abide by it? I plead with you all to please consider this appeal so that I can provide for my family. I really need this money and do not want to pay extra taxes based on one person's mistake of estimating my property taxes way too high. I appreciate your time and consideration to this request. Thank you very much. Jurisdictional Issues: Did you protest the assessment at a Board of Review? No If Yes, check which Board of Review you attended: If No, please check the applicable reason(s): Assessment Change Notice was not properly sent to Petitioner Year(s) Under Appeal: 0 Valuation Information for Each Parcel under Appeal: Parcel Number: 41-14-04-126-012 Classification of Property: Personal (check one)
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STATE OF MICHIGAN GRETCHEN WHITMER GOVERNOR DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS LANSING MARLON I. BROWN, DPA DIRECTOR 3 of 3 Residential (check one) Current Assessed Value as established by the Board of Review: 185400 Current Taxable Value as established by the Board of Review: 185400 What do you believe is the fair market value? 310000 Multiply the True Cash Value by .5 and enter here. This is your contention of Assessed Value. 155000 If you believe the Taxable Value differs from your contention of Assessed Value, enter your contention of Taxable Value. Electronic Signature *Typing your name below will serve as your signature Petitioner’s Signature: /s/ Shamus J. Oatis Attorney or Authorized Agent’s Signature: /s/ Fee Information: If you do not have a Principal Residence Exemption of at least 50% at the time of the filing of this petition, you are required to pay a filing fee for the filing of this appeal. The filing fee is based on the greater of State Equalized Value or Taxable Value in contention. If you are appealing more than one parcel, the parcel with the highest State Equalized Value or Taxable Value in contention will be used to determine your filing fee, plus $25.00 will be added for each additional parcel being appealed. Property tax appeal: Residential** Non-Residential SEV or TV in contention* Filing fee*** Filing Fee** $100,000 or less...........................................................................................$ 125.00 $250.00 $100,000.01 to $500,000.00.........................................................................$ 200.00 N/A More than $500,000…..................................................................................$ 300.00 N/A Does the subject property have a principal residence exemption of at least 50% as of the date of the filing of this petition? Yes