| Dear Alameda County Resident,
Whether you're a first-time buyer or have owned your home for years, understanding how property taxes work is key to managing your investment. This quick guide breaks down how your home is assessed, what to do if you disagree with the value, and ways to save on your tax bill.
💰 How Is Your Property Assessed? If you bought your home at market price, your assessed value is typically your purchase price. If you paid below or above market, the Assessor uses comparable sales to determine your property's market value.
📝 Think Your Value's Too High? You Have Options. If you believe your assessed value is incorrect, you you can ask for an informal review, file an appeal or do both:
- Informal Review: The request must be accompanied by evidence showing comparable properties that are below the assessed value of your home. Typically its homes bought and sold on the open market prior to March 30 of the year. Click here for the form to file a request for informal review.
- Formal Review: File an appeal online at the Clerk of the Board website or file in person at the Clerk of the Board office at 1221 Oak Street, Room 536, Oakland, CA 94612.
🛠 Remodeling Your Home? Here's How It May Affect Your Property Taxes Thinking of upgrading your kitchen, adding a room, or building an ADU? Some improvements count as "new construction" and could increase your property tax bill.
What Causes an Increase in Assessment? Additions like new rooms, a second story, a garage, a pool, or an ADU/JADU may increase your assessed value under California law. These are considered new construction and are evaluated by the County Assessor's Office.
What Stays the Same Any parts of your home that remain unchanged will keep their original Prop 13 base-year value.
How It Works Only the newly added or improved portion is assessed at current market value—not your entire home.
Not Reassessable Routine maintenance or repairs—such as painting your house, replacing windows, or reroofing—do not trigger reassessment.
💡 Apply for Property Tax Savings If you're a homeowner, you may qualify for property tax exemptions or relief programs that can save you money: 🏠 Homeowners' Exemption 🎖 Disabled Veterans' Exemption 🌪️ Disaster Relief – Property Damaged by Fire, Flood, or Other Calamity? - If your property is significantly damaged or destroyed due to a sudden disaster (such as fire, flooding, or earthquake), you may be eligible for temporary property tax relief.
👉 Learn more at acassessor.org
📚 Need Ownership Records? To protect privacy, names and home addresses are not displayed on our website. Ownership info is available during business hours at:
📍 Visit us at 1221 Oak Street, Room 245, Oakland 📞 or call (510) 272-3787 for support
Reach out anytime—we're here to make property taxes easier to understand and manage.
Warm regards, Phong La Alameda County Assessor | 
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