Metcalf Partners Podcast: Eric Owens’ Proven Appeal Methods

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!