Ralph Gartner knew the tax assessment on his Bloomfield Township home was too high last year, so he appealed it.

With a real estate agent’s help, Gartner documented comparable homes that had sold for far less than what his was valued at in his assessment notice. After he presented his findings, the local board of review agreed and reduced the taxable value of his house by $59,650.

“It was a reduction of $300 a month in what I pay,” Gartner said. “It was worth fighting for. We’re going to go again this year, and we’re going to follow the exact same process.”

Communities across metro Detroit will begin their boards of review this week, at which homeowners and business owners can protest their property taxes. With market values plunging, property owners are eager for reductions. Assessment notices mailed in recent weeks show market declines across the state, but many people still feel the taxman has their home overvalued.

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