Davis Brown Law Firm

The Property Tax Group at Davis Brown Law Firm represents property owners throughout Iowa in assessment appeals and tax reduction matters. With over 30 years of combined experience, our attorneys understand both the legal complexities and practical realities of Iowa's property tax system. We handle everything from residential homeowner appeals to multi-million dollar commercial and industrial property disputes. Our approach combines thorough legal analysis with sophisticated valuation techniques to build compelling cases for our clients. We've successfully reduced assessments for properties ranging from single-family homes to manufacturing facilities, achieving significant tax savings while maintaining positive working relationships with assessors statewide.

Our property tax practice encompasses all aspects of assessment review and appeal procedures under Iowa law. For residential properties, we conduct comprehensive market studies, analyze comparable sales data, and identify assessment errors or inappropriate valuation methodologies. We're particularly skilled at handling unique properties that don't fit standard assessment models. Commercial clients benefit from our expertise in complex valuation issues including income capitalization disputes, functional obsolescence arguments, and highest-and-best-use determinations. We regularly handle appeals for retail centers, office buildings, industrial facilities, apartments, and special-use properties. Our services include pre-appeal consultations, informal negotiations with assessors, formal Board of Review representations, and district court litigation when necessary. We also provide strategic advice on property improvements and their potential tax implications.

We start with a comprehensive case evaluation where we review your assessment, analyze market data, and assess the legal merits of a potential appeal. We'll provide a candid assessment of your chances for success and discuss our fee structure. Once retained, we conduct thorough discovery, including property inspections, market research, and documentation review. We prepare detailed legal briefs supported by expert valuation analysis and present your case at all required hearings. Our attorneys handle all procedural requirements and deadlines, keeping you informed throughout the process while minimizing disruption to your schedule.

We serve clients throughout Iowa with particular concentration in the Des Moines metropolitan area, including Polk, Dallas, Warren, Story, and surrounding counties. Our statewide practice allows us to handle appeals in any Iowa jurisdiction, and we're familiar with assessment practices across the state's 99 counties.