Washtenaw County Commercial Property Tax Appeals

We represent owners of all commercial property types in Washtenaw County, including retail, office, industrial, multifamily, healthcare, and more — across Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Chelsea, and every other Washtenaw County community. We also represent owners of research facilities, biotech and laboratory properties, and hospitality properties in Washtenaw County — property types that are particularly common in Ann Arbor's innovation economy and require specialized valuation approaches that assessors frequently misapply.

The deadline is May 31 of the tax year. This is the Michigan Tax Tribunal filing deadline and applies to all Washtenaw County commercial properties. Once it passes, you cannot appeal your assessment for that year. Check our deadline guide for more details.

When a commercial property sells in Washtenaw County, the taxable value uncaps to the full State Equalized Value (SEV). This often results in a significant tax increase for the new owner. Even after uncapping, the assessed value can be challenged if it's above fair market value. In Ann Arbor, where properties have appreciated significantly and prior owners often held for decades, the post-sale uncapping event can produce a tax increase larger than anywhere else in Michigan — making a prompt post-purchase appeal essentially standard practice for any buyer of a commercial property in this market. Learn more about Michigan's uncapping rules.

EPTA works on a contingency basis — you pay nothing unless we successfully reduce your assessment and save you money. There are no upfront fees, no retainers, and no risk. Given Washtenaw County's high property values and high millage rates, the potential savings from a successful appeal are often substantial — and our contingency fee is always a fraction of what you stand to recover, making professional representation one of the clearest financial decisions available to commercial property owners in this market. See our property tax appeal cost guide.

Washtenaw County — and Ann Arbor in particular — presents some of the most technically demanding commercial property tax appeals in Michigan. The assessed values are high, the millage rates are high, and the municipalities are represented by experienced legal and appraisal teams who understand the market well. Challenging an Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti commercial assessment without professional support means building a valuation case from scratch, navigating the Michigan Tax Tribunal's procedural requirements, and presenting evidence against a municipality that defends its assessments aggressively. See our DIY vs. professional property tax appeal guide to understand what's at stake. Professional representation on a contingency basis is particularly compelling in a high-stakes market like Washtenaw County — you pay only if we deliver savings.

Yes, and given Ann Arbor's high market values and correspondingly high assessed values, post-purchase appeals in Washtenaw County can produce some of the largest savings available in any Michigan county. When a commercial property changes hands, Michigan's Proposal A causes the taxable value to uncap to the full current assessed value — in Ann Arbor, this can mean absorbing a tax increase that reflects decades of Proposal A-capped growth compressing into a single year. Even if you paid a price consistent with the market, the uncapped assessed value may still exceed true cash value if the assessor's assumptions about income, cap rates, or condition are flawed. Read our guide on appealing property taxes after a purchase for a full walkthrough. New Washtenaw County owners should file their appeal petition by May 31 of the tax year in which the purchase occurred or the first full year following.

All commercial property types in Washtenaw County are eligible for appeal, and EPTA represents owners across the full spectrum. In Ann Arbor, office buildings — particularly those that don't directly serve the university or tech sector — are commonly over-assessed because assessors apply market-wide assumptions that don't reflect each building's individual lease structure and occupancy. Research and laboratory facilities in the university innovation corridor require specialized income analysis that mass appraisal routinely oversimplifies. In Ypsilanti and Saline, industrial and light manufacturing properties are frequently assessed using outdated comparable sales or cost data that inflates their value. Retail properties throughout the county benefit from income-based appeals when actual rent and occupancy data diverges from the assessor's assumptions. Multifamily and healthcare properties in Washtenaw County are also eligible and often present strong appeal opportunities.