01
Review the record
We confirm which city or town assesses the home, since a Buffalo mailing address does not always mean the city does. Then we check the recorded features and the market value behind the assessment.
Buffalo & Erie County property tax grievances
Lower an over-assessed Erie County home
Homespring checks the assessment set by your city or town, gathers the sales that support a lower value, files your grievance with the local Board of Assessment Review and handles the hearing. You pay only if your property taxes go down.
No upfront feeBuffalo files Dec 1 to 31, towns in MayFiling and hearing included
Start with the property
Check your potential savings
Enter the address to find the local assessment record and see whether the home should move into a deeper grievance review before your city or town deadline.
No credit card is required. An address check does not file an appeal. Availability depends on your property and filing year.
Dec 31, 2026
end of Buffalo's December window; Erie County towns next file by May 25, 2027
25%
of first-year savings only when Homespring succeeds
$0
upfront and no fee when there are no savings
The Erie County process
Your city or town sets the value, and sets the calendar
Erie County does not set your assessment. Its 25 towns and 3 cities, Buffalo, Lackawanna and Tonawanda, each have their own assessor and Board of Assessment Review. Towns publish the tentative roll May 1 and hear grievances on Grievance Day, the fourth Tuesday in May. The City of Buffalo files its tentative roll December 1 and takes grievances December 1 to 31.
02
Build the evidence
We compare recent sales of similar nearby homes and document condition problems that the assessment does not reflect. Buffalo requires written proof, so the packet matters.
03
File and represent
You sign Part Four of Form RP-524 naming us as your representative. We file the complaint with your city or town on time and handle the Board of Assessment Review hearing.
A complete case, not a generic form
What makes an Erie County grievance persuasive
Every community assesses at its own level of assessment, the share of market value it uses. The state publishes it as the equalization rate. Buffalo assesses at 100%, so the assessment is the city's estimate of market value. In a town below 100%, divide the assessment by that rate to find the market value being used. If your home would sell for less, you may be over-assessed.
See what evidence helps a property tax appealComparable sales
Recent sales of similar homes nearby, close to the July 1 valuation date, that sold for less than the market value assigned to yours.
Property-record accuracy
Square footage, bedrooms, baths, finished space, lot and other details on the city or town record that may overstate value.
Condition and photos
Dated photos and repair estimates for problems like an aging roof, a wet basement or a dated kitchen, plus a recent appraisal or purchase offer if you have one.
A specific requested value
A clear market value the sales support, converted into the assessment you ask for. The board may not grant more than you request, so the number matters.
Compare the options
Filing is free. Representation is the service.
New York does not charge homeowners to grieve, and you can file Form RP-524 with your city or town yourself. Hire Homespring if you would rather hand off the research, the filing and the hearing, with a fee only when your taxes go down.
What you receiveFile yourselfHomespring
Local grievance filing fee$0$0
Record review and comparable salesYou prepareIncluded
Form RP-524 and written proofYou prepareIncluded
Board of Assessment Review hearingYou handleIncluded
Service fee$025% of first-year savings if successful
New York homeowner feedback
Reviews tied to real Homespring appeals
Verified New York homeowner
“The overall experience was strong. I had one minor delay getting a document together on my side, but once it was uploaded everything moved along smoothly.”
Brenda Y.
Verified New York homeowner
“The platform was clear and the process felt dependable. We did not end up with a dramatic dollar result, but I still felt the work was handled professionally from beginning to end.”
Frank D.
Verified New York homeowner
“My biggest concern was whether this would turn into another half-finished online form. It did not. The follow-through was consistent and the end result was better than I expected.”
Helen P.
Erie County property tax grievance questions
Who assesses my home, the county, my city, my town or my village?
Not the county. Erie County Real Property Tax Services supports local assessors but does not set values. Your city or town assessor does, and its Board of Assessment Review hears grievances. Amherst, Cheektowaga, the Town of Tonawanda and the other towns generally follow the town calendar. Buffalo, Lackawanna and the City of Tonawanda each set their own. If your village also assesses, it needs its own Form RP-524.
When is the next Erie County grievance deadline?
In Buffalo, grievances are taken December 1 to 31, 2026. Last cycle the signed form had to be received at City Hall by 4:30 p.m. on December 31, and postmarks did not count. Erie County towns generally hold Grievance Day on the fourth Tuesday in May. The 2026 date has passed, so the next is May 25, 2027. Lackawanna and the City of Tonawanda set their own dates, so confirm yours with the assessor.
I live in Buffalo. What is different there?
Buffalo files a new tentative roll each December 1 and assesses at 100% of market value. The city requires written proof with the grievance and does not accept faxed or emailed forms. Hearings run through January and early February, in person or by video, and results are mailed around March 1. If you got a preliminary value notice this fall, its informal review is a separate, earlier step.
Can I file an Erie County grievance myself?
Yes. There is no cost to grieve and you do not need a lawyer. Homespring is for homeowners who want the research, filing and hearing handled. To have anyone act for you, you sign Part Four of Form RP-524, the designation of representative, dated in the same year the complaint is filed.
How does Homespring charge?
There is no upfront fee. If Homespring lowers your property taxes, the fee is 25% of the first year's tax savings. If there are no savings, there is no fee.
What if the board does not lower my assessment?
The board mails a written decision. If you disagree, owner-occupants of one, two or three family homes can file for Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) with the county clerk on their own. It costs $30 and is due within 30 days after the final roll is filed. Homespring's service covers the local grievance, not SCAR.
Official Erie County sources
Sources checked
Check the home before Buffalo's December window
Start with the address. Homespring will check your city or town record and whether the home should move into a grievance review. An address check does not file an appeal. Availability depends on your property and filing year.