The Provincial Government with the help of WRAFT, CAPTR and pressure from many Cottagers Associations have frozen assessments for 2 years. Your property was reassessed in 2012.  If you would like to contest your property assessment, you need to file a Request for Reassessment (RFR).

To do this, go to www.aboutmyproperty.ca.  On this website you can view your own property profile and check it for accuracy, and get free detailed Information on properties that are similar to yours.  Remember only the dwelling need be similar (square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms, basement or not), landscaping and other esthetics are not important at this point. Drive around your lake, other lakes, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst etc. and and when you see a similar property write down the address (911 number) and street name. You may use non-waterfront properties but you will have to allow for the difference in property value. You may call MPAC Bracebridge Office at 705-645-8994 and get the value of your property (land only) that was used for your 2012 assessment, also obtain from MPAC a property figure for non waterfront property owners. You are better off locating your own properties for comparison.

You have until March 31, 2014 to submit your RFR for 2013 Tax year and may resubmit annually for further reductions.

BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT YOUR ASSESSMENT IS OUT OF LINE. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU GIVE MPAC A VALUE THAT YOUR ASSESSMENT SHOULD BE IN YOUR LETTER BASED ON YOUR ANALYSIS.

Pictures speak a thousand words, take pictures of the properties you used for your comparison, identify with address and include in you cover letter along with pictures of your home.

Contact me for Excel Spreadsheets for use on your RFR, once you begin to enter the data for your property and comparison properties you have selected the chart and graphs will emerge on the Excel Spreadsheet.

Bernie Jaroscak bjaroscak@ncweb.com