David Johnston

David Johnston has been helping Dothan-area property owners navigate Alabama's property tax system for over two decades. His background in estate planning and tax law gives him a practical edge when it comes to identifying over-assessments, structuring appeals, and protecting the long-term value of real estate assets held in trusts or family estates. He works with residential homeowners, agricultural landowners, and small commercial property owners across the Wiregrass region. His approach is straightforward: review the county's valuation, compare it against actual market conditions, and build a documented case for reduction. He's familiar with the quirks of Houston County's appraisal process and knows which arguments tend to hold weight before the Board of Equalization. Clients appreciate that he communicates clearly, doesn't oversell outcomes, and only pursues appeals he genuinely thinks can succeed.

David Johnston offers a focused range of property tax services built around the Alabama assessment and appeal process. His core service is property tax appeal representation, where he handles the full process from initial review through the Board of Equalization hearing and, when necessary, circuit court filings. He also provides assessment review consultations for property owners who want a second opinion before the appeal deadline passes. For clients with estate planning concerns, he can coordinate property tax strategy alongside broader estate documents, which is useful when inherited property has been reassigned a new assessed value following transfer. He works with agricultural landowners to ensure current use valuations are being applied correctly under Alabama's Class III farmland rules. Commercial property owners can engage him for income-approach valuation challenges, where the county's mass appraisal methods often diverge significantly from actual investment performance. He charges a flat fee for most appeal work, with contingency arrangements available for larger commercial accounts. Initial consultations are typically offered at no charge, and he's upfront about what he thinks the realistic reduction range looks like before any engagement begins.

The first step is a free consultation where David reviews the current assessed value, the property's recent sale history if applicable, and any comparable sales data available in the county records. If there's a viable case, he'll outline the expected reduction range and walk through the timeline for filing. Once engaged, he gathers supporting documentation including appraisals, sales comps, income data for commercial properties, or land classification records. He submits a formal protest to the Houston County Revenue Commissioner's office within the statutory deadline and prepares a written brief. If the informal review doesn't produce a satisfactory result, he represents the client at the Board of Equalization hearing. Most cases resolve at this stage. If the outcome is still unsatisfactory, he advises on whether circuit court appeal makes financial sense given the stakes involved.

David Johnston primarily serves Houston County and the surrounding Wiregrass counties, including Henry, Dale, Geneva, and Barbour. He works with residential, agricultural, and commercial property owners across the Dothan metro area and rural parcels throughout southeast Alabama. Out-of-area clients with property in these counties are welcome, and he handles most of the early review work remotely.