How to get a realtor to pull comps for your tax appeal free

Last updated 2026-07-11

Why would a realtor pull comps for free?

Realtors live inside the MLS, and pulling comparable sales takes about 20 minutes. Most agents are happy to do it for a neighbor or a warm lead, because they're not losing money. They're building a relationship with someone who might list a home in the next few years.

Here's the honest reality. Agents run this exact research every day for buyers and sellers. A comp pull for a tax appeal uses the same database in a slightly different format. Asking for one is reasonable, and most agents say yes fast if you ask well.

No obligation attaches to it. You're not signing a buyer's agreement. You're not listing. You're asking for a 20-minute favor that earns the agent goodwill. Keep that framing and the call gets easy.

What exactly is a CMA and why does it matter for a tax appeal?

A CMA (comparative market analysis) is a report agents produce to price a home or shape an offer. It lists recent sales of similar homes nearby, adjusts for differences in square footage, bedrooms, condition, and features, and lands on an estimated market value.

For an appeal, the CMA does one job: it shows what similar homes actually sold for around your assessment date. Most jurisdictions value property as of a fixed lien date or valuation date, often January 1 of the tax year ^[1]. If comparable homes sold for less than your assessed value during that window, you have real evidence.

The timing distinction is the whole game. A listing CMA looks at what a home would fetch today. An appeal CMA has to anchor to the correct date range. So be explicit with the agent: "I need comparable sales from the 12 months before [your assessment date], not the last 90 days."

Assessors run something similar in bulk. The IAAO Standard on Ratio Studies calls for mass appraisal accuracy within a 10% median ratio, comparing assessed values against actual sale prices ^[2]. Your CMA is your own counter-ratio study, built one house at a time.

How do you actually ask a realtor to do this?

The script is short. Call or email an agent you've used before, or one active in your neighborhood, and say: "I'm putting together a property tax appeal and I need a CMA showing comparable sales in my neighborhood from [start date] to [end date]. I'm not listing right now, but I'd really appreciate the help. Can you pull that for me?"

That's the whole ask. Most agents say yes on the spot.

If you don't know any agents, look up the top-selling agent in your zip code on Zillow, Realtor.com, or your county's MLS search tool. Agents active in your area hold the most relevant sales data and the strongest reason to stay connected locally.

A newer agent building a client base is another good bet. They tend to have more time and more incentive to help. The tradeoff: a seasoned agent has sharper judgment about which comps hold up under an assessor's scrutiny.

One thing to avoid. Don't ask an agent to "help lower my taxes" or "find comps that support my appeal." That sounds like cherry-picking, it makes agents uneasy, and it produces evidence a board can shred. Ask for accurate, complete comps from the right time period, then let the numbers talk.

What should the comps report include to be useful at appeal?

An appeal CMA needs specific fields or the board will pick it apart. Here's what to request:

Field	Why it matters
Sale date	Must fall in your jurisdiction's window (usually 12 months before assessment date)
Sale price	The actual closed price, not list price
Gross living area (sq ft)	Lets you calculate price per square foot
Lot size	Matters most in land-heavy markets
Year built	Age affects value and comparability
Distance from subject	Most boards want comps within 0.5 to 1 mile
Condition/style	Ranch vs. two-story, updated vs. original
MLS status	"Sold" only, no actives or pending

Get at least three comparable sales. Six is better. Some boards set explicit minimums, so check your jurisdiction's appeal instructions first. Cook County, Illinois asks for three comparable properties on its residential appeal form ^[3].

If the agent hands you a branded summary sheet, ask for the underlying data as a spreadsheet or the individual MLS listing sheets for each comp. Those listing sheets with photos beat a summary page, because they hand the board the exact details of every sale.

What date range do the comps need to cover?

This is the mistake DIY appellants make most. Your comps have to cover the period your assessor used to value the property, more than "recent" sales.

Most states value property as of a fixed date each year. California uses January 1 ^[4]. Texas also uses January 1, though the protest deadline lands later in the spring ^[5]. New York State uses July 1 of the prior year as the taxable status date in most localities ^[6]. A few states run a rolling 12-month or 24-month average.

Your assessment notice or county assessor's website names the date, listed as "assessment date," "lien date," or "valuation date." Once you have it, ask for sales from the 12 months before that date. In a fast-rising market, use the six months before it, since those sales sit closest to what the assessor saw.

Sales dated after the assessment date weaken your case. The assessor will argue those reflect conditions nobody could have known on the valuation date. Some boards take them as trend evidence anyway, but don't build your case on that.

For reference: la county property tax assessments use a January 1 lien date, and appeals cover conditions as of that date. Cook county tax assessor tax bill timelines anchor to an assessment year that often lags the sale market by 12 to 18 months, which opens the door when values have dropped.

How do you find a realtor if you don't already know one?

Start with your own network. A neighbor who recently sold, a coworker who bought last year, a cousin with a license. A warm referral is the shortest path there is.

Starting cold? Search Zillow's agent directory or Realtor.com's agent finder filtered to your zip code. Look for agents with recent "sold" listings in your specific neighborhood, more than your city. An agent who sold three homes on your street reads your market better than a high-volume agent covering the whole metro.

Local real estate investor groups are another route. Investors who flip or rent need accurate comps constantly and often know agents who share data freely. Search for a nearby REIA (real estate investors association) chapter.

One more option lives at your county. Many appraisal districts publish recent sales data on their own sites. The Bexar County Appraisal District in San Antonio, for example, posts sales data through its online portal ^[7]. If yours does the same, pull basic comp data yourself and use it alongside or instead of realtor comps. MLS data usually carries more detail on square footage, condition, and features than public deed records, which is why agent comps tend to hit harder.

Can you get comp data without a realtor?

Yes. Several legitimate sources exist.

Public deed records are the foundation. Every real estate transaction gets recorded with the county recorder or clerk, and the sale price is usually public. Your county assessor's website often has a sales search tool. Texas appraisal districts are required by law to maintain sales databases for their ratio studies ^[5].

Zillow and Redfin both hold sold-home data going back several years. It's less complete than MLS (some agent-entered detail gets stripped), but it's a fine starting point. Export nearby sales, filter by date and square footage, and build your own comp grid.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency publishes House Price Index data by metro area and zip code, useful for arguing your market fell or trailed the regional trend ^[8]. Treat it as supporting context, not a primary comp.

If your county runs a GIS parcel viewer, you can sometimes read sale prices straight off the map by clicking nearby parcels. Montgomery county property tax and Hennepin county property tax both have parcel search tools that show sale history.

The honest limit of DIY comps: no condition data. MLS listings tell you a home was renovated, had a finished basement, or sold as-is. Public records don't. If your comps match in size and age, condition gaps won't sink you. But if an assessor claims your cheap comparables were distressed sales, you'll want your realtor's notes in your corner.

How do you use the comps once you have them?

Start with price per square foot. Check whether any comps sold below your assessed value on a per-square-foot basis. That's your headline number. If three comparable homes averaged $185 per square foot and your assessment implies $210, you have an arithmetic argument nobody can wave away.

Second, calculate the indicated value for your property. Take the average or median sale price of your comps, adjust for square footage differences, and state the result. That's your "opinion of value."

Third, put the comps in a clean table with your property in the top row and the comparables below. Show address, sale date, sale price, square footage, price per square foot, and a short note on differences. Boards read hundreds of packets. Clarity wins.

Fourth, attach the MLS listing sheets or printouts as exhibits. Number them. Reference them in your narrative: "Comparable Sale 1 (Exhibit A) sold on March 14, 2024 for $340,000."

Fifth, write a one-page cover letter with your current assessed value, your opinion of value, the dollar difference, and your request. Under 300 words.

Want a structured format for all of it? TaxFightBack's DIY appeal kit has a comp analysis worksheet and cover letter template built to match what most county boards expect.

What if the realtor's comps don't support a lower value?

Sometimes the data won't help. If comparable homes sold at or above your assessed value, a market-value appeal will probably fail and can burn your deadline. Before you quit, check two other roads.

First, look for a uniformity argument. Even if your home is worth what the assessor says, are similar homes assessed at a lower ratio? If your neighbor's identical house is assessed 15% lower, some states let you appeal on equity grounds alone, separate from market value. The IAAO recommends a coefficient of dispersion below 15% for residential property as the acceptable standard ^[2].

Second, check your exemptions. A senior freeze, homestead exemption, or disability exemption can cut your taxable value no matter what the market did. These are often easier wins than a market-value fight. Gwinnett county tax assessor and Bexar county tax assessor both offer homestead exemptions worth a look if you haven't applied.

Third, pull the assessor's property record card. If they have your square footage, bedroom count, or condition grade wrong, a factual correction lowers your value with no comp argument at all. Record card errors are more common than most homeowners guess.

Will using realtor comps actually win an appeal?

The research is fragmented, but it points one direction. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy finds that in most jurisdictions fewer than 5% of eligible owners file appeals, and among those who file with supporting evidence, residential success rates run roughly 30% to 60% depending on the jurisdiction ^[9].

The IAAO Standard on Ratio Studies states that "the best evidence of value is a recent arm's-length sale of the subject property," and treats comparable sales as the primary method for residential valuation challenges ^[2]. The framework the assessor used is the framework you use to fight back. Comps are the currency of the process.

The cases that fail usually lack specifics. Appellants say "my house is worth less" and bring nothing. Appellants who arrive with a clean comp grid, MLS listing sheets, and a specific opinion of value hand the board something concrete to act on.

Nobody has solid nationwide win-rate data broken down by evidence type. The closest public figure comes from Cook County, where the Assessor's own reporting showed roughly 80% of residential appeals with supporting comps drew some reduction, though the sample and method have been disputed ^[3]. Take that number with caution. The broader point holds. Evidence beats no evidence, every time.

What are the deadlines you cannot miss?

Perfect comps mean nothing if you miss the filing window. Deadlines swing hard by state and even by county.

Texas protest deadlines usually fall on May 15 or 30 days after the notice is mailed, whichever is later ^[5]. California's Proposition 8 reduction requests and formal appeals run on county schedules, generally July 2 through November 30 for the regular roll ^[4]. New York State sets most residential appeals to the "grievance day" chosen by each municipality, commonly the fourth Tuesday in May ^[6]. Cook County's window shifts with each township's reassessment cycle ^[3].

Santa clara property tax appeals follow California's Assessment Appeals Board schedule, a July 2 to September 15 filing window in most years. NYC property tax assessments carry a March 1 deadline for most Tax Class 1 properties.

The practical rule: file before you have perfect comps, not after you miss the deadline chasing them. Most boards let you supplement evidence before the hearing. A bare-bones filing with a note that more evidence follows beats no filing every time.

One more timing note. Your realtor needs a few days to pull the comps. If your deadline is two weeks out, call the agent today.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay a realtor to pull comps for a property tax appeal?

No. Pulling comparable sales is routine for any licensed agent with MLS access, and most do it free as a professional courtesy. You're not obligated to list your home or sign anything. Give them your address, the assessment date, and the property type, frame the request clearly, and most agents say yes within a day.

What should I say when I call a realtor to ask for comps?

Keep it direct: "I'm filing a property tax appeal and I need a CMA showing comparable sales in my neighborhood from [date] to [date]. I'm not listing right now, but I'd really appreciate the help. Can you pull that for me?" That's enough. Don't mention cherry-picking data or lowering taxes artificially. Ask for accurate comps from the right window.

How many comparable sales do I need for a property tax appeal?

Most appeal boards want at least three comparable sales. Six is better, because it gives you a stronger argument and room to lose one comp if the assessor distinguishes it. Check your county's appeal instructions for any explicit minimum. Cook County's residential appeal form specifically requests three comparable properties.

How close do the comps need to be to my home?

Most assessors and boards prefer comparable sales within half a mile to one mile of your property. In rural or low-turnover markets, you may need to reach farther. If you use a comp more than two miles away, note in your narrative why it's the closest fair comparable, such as matching rural lot size or agricultural zoning.

Can I use Zillow or Redfin data instead of MLS comps from a realtor?

Yes, as supporting evidence. Zillow and Redfin sold-home data is public and carries some weight, but MLS data from a licensed agent is more detailed and more credible to a board. If you use Zillow, print the listing pages showing sale price, date, square footage, and photos. Label them clearly as exhibits.

What date range should the comparable sales cover?

Comps should cover the 12 months before your jurisdiction's assessment or valuation date. That date is usually January 1 of the tax year in most states, but it varies. Check your assessment notice or your county assessor's website. Sales dated after the assessment date are weaker evidence and may be rejected outright.

What if there are no recent sales near my home?

A thin sales market is a real problem. Your options: expand the search radius to 2 to 3 miles, go back 18 to 24 months if your jurisdiction allows it, or switch angles. An equity argument comparing your assessment ratio to neighbors', or a property record correction when the assessor has your square footage or condition grade wrong, can both work.

Can a realtor's CMA be submitted directly to the appeal board?

It depends on the board. Many residential boards accept a CMA printout as valid evidence. Others want individual MLS listing sheets for each comparable instead of a summary. The safest move is to submit both: the CMA summary and the individual listing sheets, numbered as exhibits.

Will the assessor's office accept sales data I pulled myself from public records?

Yes. Public deed records are legal evidence of sale price. Most counties publish sales data on their own site or through the county recorder. The limit is that public records often lack condition and feature detail. A realtor's MLS printout adds that context, which is why it tends to persuade a board more.

What if the comps show my home is assessed accurately?

Then a market-value appeal probably won't succeed. Shift to two alternatives: a uniformity appeal if similar homes are assessed at a lower ratio, or an exemption you may not have claimed, such as homestead, senior, or disability. Also pull your property record card and check for factual errors in square footage or condition grade.

Do I need an appraisal instead of realtor comps?

A formal appraisal carries more weight than a CMA, but it costs $300 to $600 for a home and may be overkill for a first-level appeal. Start with realtor comps. If you lose at the informal or board level and plan to escalate to a state review board or court, a licensed appraiser's report earns its keep. Match your evidence spend to the tax dollars at stake.

How does a comp-based appeal differ from hiring a contingency firm?

A contingency firm does the comp research, files the paperwork, and takes 30 to 50 percent of your first year's tax savings as its fee. Do the same work with realtor-sourced comps and you keep 100 percent of any reduction. The process is identical. The DIY cost is your time, roughly 3 to 6 hours for a residential appeal.

Sources

1. California State Board of Equalization, Property Tax Rules: California assesses property as of January 1 each year as the lien date under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 2192
2. International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO), Standard on Ratio Studies: IAAO standard requires a median assessment ratio between 0.90 and 1.10 and a coefficient of dispersion below 15% for residential properties; comparable sales are cited as the primary evidence for residential valuation challenges
3. Cook County Assessor's Office, Appeal Filing Instructions: Cook County's residential appeal form requests three comparable properties and the appeal window varies by township reassessment cycle
4. California State Board of Equalization, Assessment Appeals: California's regular roll assessment appeals must generally be filed between July 2 and November 30 with the county assessment appeals board
5. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Property Tax Protests and Appeals: Texas property owners must file a protest by May 15 or within 30 days of the notice of appraised value, whichever is later; appraisal districts are required to maintain sales databases for ratio studies
6. New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Property Tax and Assessment: New York State uses July 1 of the prior year as the taxable status date in most localities and most residential grievance deadlines fall on the fourth Tuesday in May
7. Bexar County Appraisal District, Property Search: Bexar County Appraisal District publishes recent sales data and property records through its online portal
8. Federal Housing Finance Agency, House Price Index: FHFA publishes House Price Index data by metro area and zip code that can be used to document local market trends in a tax appeal
9. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Property Tax in the United States: Fewer than 5% of eligible property owners file assessment appeals in most jurisdictions; among filers with supporting evidence, residential appeal success rates range roughly 30% to 60% depending on jurisdiction
10. National Association of Realtors, MLS and CMA Practices: Licensed agents with MLS access routinely produce comparative market analyses and comparable sales reports as part of standard practice