Santa Barbara County
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Santa Barbara County, California
105 E. Anapamu St.
Rm. 407
Santa Barbara, California 93101
Tel: 805-568-2240
Fax: 805-568-3247
County Website: Santa Barbara county
Assessor Website: Santa Barbara county assessor
Santa Barbara County Property Assessment Adjustment Instructions
- For information regarding the Assessment Appeal Process, Hearing Schedules, Assessment Appeal Agendas or the Assessment Appeal Form, please contact Lia Graham, Clerk of the Assessment Appeals Board at 805.568. 2247 or via email at ligraham@countyofsb.org
URLs
Here's how to lower your property taxes in Santa Barbara county
Contact the county assessor
Contact the Santa Barbara county tax assessor's office and ask for a review of the property's value. Visit the Santa Barbara county assessor's website to find the phone number to call. If the assessor determines that your property is worth less than the value on which your taxes are based, your property taxes may be lowered.
Tax exemptions
Start by finding what your tax bill is. Typically you will find your tax bill information on your mortgage statement. Look for tax exemptions or credits that you may be eligible for. Many states and localities offer exemptions or credits for homeowners who meet certain criteria, information such as being over a certain age or having a low income. Santa Barbara county may have these types of exemptions available for homeowners. These exemptions and credits can lower the property tax you owe.
Appeal tax assessment
Appeal the property tax assessment. If you believe that your property's value has been overestimated, you can typically appeal the assessment to your Santa Barbara county tax assessor's office. This is part of the services that your assessor's office provides. You will need to provide evidence to support your claim, such as a recent appraisal or sales data for comparable properties and homes in your area. Usually, you will meet with the Board of Equalization. If your appeal is successful, your property taxes may be lowered.
Challenge the tax rate
Consider challenging the tax rate. In some cases, the amount of property taxes you owe is not based on the value of your property, but on the tax rate set by your local government. If you believe that the tax rate is too high, you can contact your Santa Barbara county government and ask them to consider reducing it.
Property Tax Rules
Stay up-to-date on your property's value and property tax rules. For the purpose of lowering your Santa Barbara county property tax, property value is the assessed property value and not the market property value. Assessed property value is used for taxation purposes while market property value is what a buyer and seller would likely agree on. Typically the assessed value is lower than the market value. Your property's value can change over time due to a variety of factors, such as changes in the local real estate market or improvements you make to your property. To ensure that your property taxes are accurate and fair, it is important to stay informed about your property's value and contact Santa Barbara county local tax assessor's office if you believe there has been a significant change.
Keep in mind that property tax laws and regulations can vary, so it is important to consult with your Santa Barbara county California tax assessor's office for specific information about how to reduce your property taxes.
About Santa Barbara County
Homes in Santa Barbara county have a median home value of $612,597.
Santa Barbara county home values are ranked 12 out of 58 counties in the state of California for median home price. The average median home value in California is $342,213. Modoc county has the lowest median price at $154,850. San Mateo county has the highest median price at $1,162,670.
Compared to the rest of the United States, Santa Barbara county homes have a median home value that is above the national median value of $130,626 by ~369%.
The median household income in Santa Barbara county is $78,925.
Compared to the state of California and the United States, Santa Barbara county's median household income is higher than the state of California's average median household income of $71,109 and the United States average median household income of $54,172.
Santa Barbara county's population has grown from 369,608 in 1990 to 448,229 in 2020, an increase of 21% over that time frame.
For comparison, the state of California's population has grown from 29,811,427 in 1990 to 39,538,223 in 2020, an increase of 33% over that time frame.
In the United States, the population has grown from 248,790,925 in 1990 to 331,449,281 in 2020, an increase of 33% over that time frame.
Santa Barbara county's population change from 1990 to 2020 is less than the population change for California and the United States.
Santa Barbara County California Cities
Ballard, Buellton, Carpinteria, Casmalia, Goleta, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Montecito, New Cuyama, Orcutt, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, Summerland
Santa Barbara County California Zipcodes
93013 / 93067 / 93101 / 93103 / 93105 / 93108 / 93109 / 93110 / 93111 / 93117 / 93254 / 93427 / 93429 / 93434 / 93436 / 93437 / 93440 / 93441 / 93454 / 93455 / 93460 / 93463 /
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