Once you have your comparable sales, the writing is the easy part — but a blank page can still stall an appeal. Here is a plain-language structure for the written statement that accompanies your filing, plus a fill-in-the-blank template you can copy, complete, sign, and send.
When you appeal a Philadelphia assessment, the evidence — your comparable sales, photos, and record corrections — carries the case. The written statement is the short cover narrative that ties that evidence together and tells the reviewer, in your own words, what you are asking for and why. It is not a substitute for the official paperwork. Both the Office of Property Assessment (for a First Level Review) and the Board of Revision of Taxes (for a formal appeal) publish their own forms, and you must use the current ones. Treat this template as the attachment that makes your form persuasive, and always follow the live instructions at the Board of Revision of Taxes and the OPA. This is general information, not legal advice.
Open with your name, mailing address, the property address, and the OPA account (parcel) number. The reviewer is matching your statement to a specific record; make that match instant.
Name the market value the OPA currently assigns and the lower value you believe is correct. Be specific and realistic — the number your evidence supports, not the lowest figure you can dream up.
Summarize the recent, similar sales behind your requested value and point to the attached comparable-sales sheet. This is the load-bearing paragraph.
List documented defects that lower value and any factual mistakes in the OPA record — overstated square footage, a wrong unit count, an incorrect lot size. See the evidence guide for what to document.
End with a short, polite request, then sign, date, and attach everything you referenced.
Let the comparable sales do the arguing. The statement's only job is to point at them clearly and ask, politely, for the right number.
Copy the block below, replace every [bracketed] placeholder with your own facts, and delete any line that does not apply to your property. Keep it to a single page.
[Date]
Office of Property Assessment / Board of Revision of Taxes
City of PhiladelphiaRe: Assessment appeal for [property address], Philadelphia, PA [ZIP]
OPA Account / Parcel Number: [OPA account number]
Property Owner: [your full name]
Owner Mailing Address: [your mailing address]
Owner Phone / Email: [phone] / [email]To the reviewer:
I am the owner of the property at [property address] and I am appealing its assessed market value. The Office of Property Assessment currently assigns this property a market value of $[current OPA market value]. Based on the evidence below, I respectfully request that the market value be adjusted to $[requested market value].
This request is supported by [number] recent, comparable sales in the immediate area, summarized on the attached comparable-sales sheet. These homes are similar to mine in size, age, construction type, and condition, and they sold within the past [time period] for prices consistent with the value I am requesting. In particular, [address of strongest comparable] sold on [date] for $[price], and is comparable to my property because [one-line reason].
In addition, the following condition issues reduce my property's value: [describe defects — e.g., deferred roof repairs, no central air, structural or water damage], documented in the attached photos and/or estimates.
I also note the following error(s) in the property record, which appear to have inflated the assessment: [describe error — e.g., the record lists [X] square feet but the actual living area is [Y]; the record lists [X] units but the property is a single-family home].
For these reasons, I respectfully request that the assessed market value be reduced to $[requested market value]. Thank you for your time and consideration. I am happy to provide any further information you need.
Sincerely,
[signature]
[your full name]
[date]Attachments: comparable-sales sheet; photographs; [any supporting documents].
That five-part structure is exactly the shape of a strong, low-drama appeal — and it is exactly what TaxAssessmentIQ produces for you automatically. Instead of hand-filling the brackets, TaxAssessmentIQ pulls your live OPA record, selects real comparable sales, and generates a complete, Board-ready packet with the statement, the comparable-sales sheet, and the numbers already filled in and formatted. All that is left for you is to review it, sign it, stamp it, and send it. No lawyer, no consultant contingency fee, and none of the research grind. No tool can guarantee an appeal will win, but a clean, well-evidenced packet filed on time is how owners give themselves the best chance. When you are ready to submit, walk the formal steps in the BRT appeal guide.
The Board of Revision of Taxes and the OPA have their own official forms, and you should use them. Your written statement is the narrative you attach to that form, not a replacement for it. Always follow the current filing instructions on phila.gov.
One page is plenty. Reviewers handle many appeals, so a clear, specific statement that points to attached evidence works better than a long argument. Let the comparable sales do the heavy lifting.
No. It is a plain-language starting point to help you organize your own facts. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official forms or the current instructions from the OPA and the Board of Revision of Taxes.
Your comparable-sales sheet is the core attachment. Add photos or estimates documenting any condition problems, and anything that proves a factual error in the OPA record, such as a floor plan or survey.
Request the value your comparable sales actually support, not the lowest figure you can think of. A realistic number backed by evidence is far more persuasive than an aggressive one the reviewer can easily dismiss.
TaxAssessmentIQ gives you a free, honest verdict from the City's own recorded sales — just enter your address, no sign-up and no account. If your home looks over-assessed, you can get a ready-to-file appeal packet for a flat, one-time price, backed by a money-back guarantee. If it isn't worth filing, we tell you that too — for free, before you pay anything.