---
title: "Property Tax Appeal Companies: Fees and When to File Yourself"
description: "What property tax appeal companies and attorneys charge (often 25 to 35% of the saving), when they're worth it, when filing yourself is easy, and questions to ask before you sign."
url: https://propertytaxcalculator.co/property-tax-appeal-companies
---

Property tax appeals · checked 23 October 2026

# Property tax appeal companies: what they charge, and when to do it yourself

Search "property tax appeal service" and you'll find companies and attorneys offering to fight your assessment for a share of the savings. Here's how the pricing works and how to decide whether you need one.

**Want the answer for your own case?** Use the tool, then read on for the details.

[Check if my home is over-assessed (free)](https://propertytaxcalculator.co/#check)

## How they charge

- **A share of the saving.** Most work on contingency: nothing up front, then a percentage of the tax you save. Ownwell, for example, says it charges homeowners ** 25% to 35%** of the actual saving depending on the state, and nothing if there's no saving.
- **Usually the first year only**, but read the agreement. Some contracts renew every year automatically and keep filing (and charging) until you cancel.
- **Worked example:** a $6,000 bill cut to $5,000 saves $1,000. At 25% you pay $250 and keep $750. Filing yourself, you keep the full $1,000.

## When a company or attorney is worth it

- Commercial, rental or very high-value property, where the evidence is an income or cost study, not simple home sales.
- Appeals that go to a hearing or a state board, where an experienced representative helps.
- You don't have the time, and a share of the saving is a fair price for that.

## When doing it yourself is easy

- An ordinary home with 3 to 5 clear comparable sales nearby.
- Your county takes appeals online and free. Cook County does at both the Assessor and the [Board of Review](https://propertytaxcalculator.co/cook-county-board-of-review-appeal).
- The problem is a missing exemption, which is often a form, not an argument. [Cook County exemptions](https://propertytaxcalculator.co/cook-county-exemptions).

## Questions to ask before you sign

- What percentage, of which year's saving, and is there a minimum fee?
- Does the agreement renew automatically each year? How do I cancel?
- Do you charge if the saving comes from an exemption I could have claimed myself?
- Who files and who attends any hearing?

[Check if my home is over-assessed (free)](https://propertytaxcalculator.co/#check)

If the check shows a gap, the [5 steps to dispute your property taxes](https://propertytaxcalculator.co/how-to-dispute-property-taxes) walk you through filing it yourself. Cook County deadlines: [by township](https://propertytaxcalculator.co/cook-county-appeal-deadlines).

Source: Ownwell FAQ (fees of 25 to 35% of actual property tax savings depending on state; no savings, no fee), read 23 October 2026. Other companies' terms vary; always read the agreement. General guidance, not legal advice.