Archive for category: General Information

By David Swartz, Business Development at Swartz and Associates

Iowans received their property tax bills in March, leading to many questions about increased taxes and what can be done about lowering the liability.

Iowa bills your property taxes in arrears, and your current property tax bill is based on the value of your 2024 property assessment. The tax bill is split into two parts – the first half would have been in September 2025, and the second half is due now. Any chance you had to lower this bill would have been in 2023 since Iowa appeals usually can only be made in odd years (with some exceptions).

Swartz + Associates experienced another successful year for appeals in 2025, and our clients will see the effects of those lower taxes with their bills this coming September and next March.

Your bill can be a reminder to proactively review how your commercial property may be valued compared to similar properties. Area sales, interest rate changes, and market vacancies are always changing and can have great impact on your property’s unique characteristics.

We can’t set the mill levy rate – that is for elected officials, but we can help ensure equitability for the valuations set before your future bills cause concerns.

Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI) is a full service property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis and appeals of real and business personal property tax valuations. If you need help with your property taxes, give us a call!

By Gary A. Stone, ASA, Manager at Swartz and Associates

Recharging. Work-life balance. Disconnecting. Whatever you like to call it, time away can be as important to productivity as a well laid out schedule. It’s sometimes easy to forget that getting away from our routines at home and at work can be very beneficial to our well-being.

Recently, my wife Melissa and I took a cruise in the eastern Caribbean. We enjoyed beautiful ocean sunsets, met new friends, and basked in the sun at places like Grand Turk, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas. Melissa and I love cruising because of the variety. Rather than staying in one place such as a resort or VRBO, it allows us to experience the cultures of many different places.

For example, the beaches at Grand Turk are so picturesque. The people were welcoming, and it was amusing to see donkeys wandering the island. In fact, I had three come up to me on the beach while I was taking a short siesta. It made for an amusing moment.

Of course, I cannot leave out the welcoming folks that worked our excursion at Amber Cove, Dominican Republic or exploring downtown Nassau. Each stop was different, with its own unique charm and even a few unexpected discoveries.

This vacation reminded me of why it’s important to step away from the daily routine. It allowed Melissa and I to reconnect, make memories, and enjoy different cultures. It was a great break from our routine and an opportunity to recharge. Now that I am back, we have a busy couple of months ahead of us at Swartz + Associates!

Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI) is a full service property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis and appeals of real and business personal property tax valuations. If you need help with your property taxes, give us a call!

By Eric Owens, Director at Swartz and Associates

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a podcast and discuss our property tax consulting business with Jeb Graham at Metcalf Partners Wealth Management. Jeb is the CEO of Metcalf Partners Wealth Management and they specialize in business, financial, and retirement planning. We wanted to share this with you as a potential resource related to commercial property tax appeals.

Episode Description

What if you could cut your property tax bill by hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars? Eric Owens from Swartz and Associates reveals the insider tactics that most property owners never discover. On this episode of Metcalf Money Moment, hosts Jeb, Ethan, and Eric dive deep into real-world victories, including a stunning $10 million reduction on a Florida hotel and a $600,000 savings on Connecticut retail property.

You’ll learn why Jackson County’s 2025 assessment chaos devastated businesses with 10x increases, how triple net lease tenants often miss their appeal rights, and the exact documentation strategy that wins cases.

Whether you manage a multimillion-dollar portfolio or own a single investment property, Eric breaks down the appeal process from informal negotiations to district court settlements, plus reveals the critical mistake that causes new buyers to go underwater financially within their first year of ownership.

What you will Learn in this Episode:

• Master the art of property tax appeals by gathering comparable sales data from your neighborhood and focusing exclusively on valuation evidence.
• Navigate state-specific assessment year cycle requirements, including Kansas’s annual January 1st effective valuation date versus Missouri’s odd-year schedule, ensuring you meet critical filing deadlines for informal and formal board of equalization hearings.
• Understand how sale price disclosure laws in both Kansas and Missouri trigger automatic valuation increases after property purchase, potentially rendering investment properties unprofitable when buyers fail to account for reassessment impacts on cash flow projections.

Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI) is a full service property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis and appeals of real and business personal property tax valuations. If you need help with your property taxes, give us a call!

By Keith Sherman, Business Development at Swartz and Associates

Minneapolis was the site of our recent Swartz + Associates event titled, “We Can Be Appealing,” held at the historic Minneapolis Club. The title deserves a quick explanation. Yes, it’s a playful nod to the spirit of the event, but more importantly, it reflects our deep experience successfully appealing commercial property tax valuations. The purpose of our visit was to share insights on commercial property taxes and how companies can ensure they are paying their fair share. In other words, we can be appealing and we can help your bottom line be appealing, too.

Reactivating a Former Home Base

For me, this trip carried an extra layer of meaning. I lived in Minnesota from 2002 to 2012, and returning to a market I once called home is energizing. Re‑engaging a network after more than a decade can be challenging. Add in the timing, as many Minnesotans prefer warmer climates this time of year, and the broader concerns about Minneapolis’ current challenges, we weren’t sure what to expect.

So when 20 attendees walked through the doors, it was a genuine and welcome reminder of the strong relationships we have built. Friends, former colleagues, and new faces from across the commercial real estate ecosystem showed up and many brought guests. That alone was a value add.

A Room Full of Connection

The Minneapolis Club proved to be the perfect venue. The conversations were lively, the networking meaningful, and the mix of younger professionals and seasoned leaders created a dynamic, thoughtful atmosphere. We learned from one another, shared perspectives, and strengthened relationships. Again, value add.

And yes, it was winter in Minneapolis/St. Paul. A good friend joked, “You always come when it’s the worst weather.” In Minnesota, that’s practically an invitation to visit more often. I’ll happily take them up on it. Another value add.

Reassurance, Resilience, and the Road Ahead

It was reassuring to see the community I called home for 10 years calm, welcoming, and resilient. Despite the headlines, the people and the business community continue to show strength and optimism.

We’re excited to deepen our partnerships in Minnesota. We can be appealing…in our expertise, in our approach, and in the results we deliver.

And at the end of the day, saving money is always a value add.

Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI) is a full service property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis and appeals of real and business personal property tax valuations. If you need help with your property taxes, give us a call!

By Donald Swartz, President

2025 was quite the year for owners of commercial and industrial real estate in Jackson County. Missouri reassesses real estate for property tax purposes every odd year. The county implemented significant increases in commercial value for the 2025, ranging from 15% to 800%+.

How can this be? Missouri law mandates properties be valued at their “fair market value”. For years, Jackson County has been assessing commercial property well below its true value and in 2025, the assessor’s office issued valuation notices with increases to reflect the current market values for commercial properties. (This follows their efforts to increase residential property values in 2023.)

However, in order to review tens of thousands of commercial properties, arbitrarily increasing all values by a set percentage fails to recognize issues with a particular property. Property tax owners are afforded the opportunity to contest/appeal the valuation notice and meet with the assessor’s office and/or have a hearing before the Jackson County Board of Equalization.

The increases in value generated by the assessor’s office set off disgruntled taxpayers and a wave of protests and claims of illegally valuing property occurred. This is just one of the reasons the County Executive was recalled in a fall special election.

The Interim County Executive immediately issued a statement to rollback all commercial values that had increased more than 15%, with the following exceptions:

1. Properties valued over Five Million Dollars
2. Properties that had already filed appeals and settled on new valuations based upon meetings with the assessor’s office or results from the Jackson County Board of Equalization

However, this was not deemed fair and equitable and the Interim County Executive amended the statement to rollback values to 15% above the previous year’s value, even if they had received a successful reduction where the value concluded was greater than 15% increase over the previous year’s value.

Additionally, the Interim County Executive fired the Jackson County Assessor and has hinted the position of the assessor should be an elected position rather than an appointed position. This begs the question, “How can an assessor in Missouri achieve fair market value on properties according to Missouri statute, if taxpayers have the right to vote the individual out of office if they do not like an increase they receive on the property taxes?”

Finally, property taxes in Missouri are due annually on December 31^st. With all the changes and confusion with the updating of values, the Interim County Executive has extended the deadline to pay property taxes until January 31^st without penalty. The county has indicated they will have values updated in the database (and presumably on their website) by February 1^st. This appears to be inconsistent with the deadline of January 31st to have the taxes timely paid.

Clarity?

• What if you pay the higher tax amount than is owed?
• When will refunds be issued to the taxpayer?
• Will refunds be issued to the taxpayer, or will they receive credits to the 2026 taxes, allowing Jackson County to hold excess funds for throughout the calendar year?
• Will the county find a new assessor?
• Will this become an elected position? If so, what will the election cycle look like?
• What about properties valued over Five Million Dollars? Are they being treated fairly and/or equitably?

I believe Jackson County has a long way to go when it comes to clarity.

Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI) is a full service property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis and appeals of real and business personal property tax valuations. If you need help with your property taxes, give us a call!