All right, it’s not really a war. It merely feels like one.

It all started when I bought this house six years ago.

My realtor warned me that I was paying too much, but I had my reasons. I was anxious to get out of Center City. I liked living in Center City, and it would have been fine if I had had a day job and could come home to a quiet apartment. But I was retired and was at home during the day when there was all sorts of construction going on all the time. Noisy construction.

Plus I really wanted to move to this neighborhood, as I was familiar with it, having lived here previously.

So I paid a bit too much for this house. It was a seller’s market as interest rates were very low at the time.

Anyway, a year later I received a notice from the city’s Office of Property Assessment that my property had been re-assessed upward for no good reason—at least none that they gave me—and I could either appeal it or I could apply for the Homestead Exemption.

The Homestead Exemption is a discount that the city will give to a property owner who lives in the property as their primary dwelling. It’s not transferable to a new owner.

I decided to apply for the exemption as I figured that would be easier than fighting the actual assessment.

I received the exemption, and I thought that that was the end of it.

Nope.

The following year I received another notice that they were increasing the assessment yet again! Once more there was no reason given.

Now you have to understand that in this neighborhood, some of the houses have been bought in recent years either by young folks who live in them and spend their free time remodeling and then re-sell them after a year or two for a big profit—or by speculators who do not live in them but remodel them merely to make a profit.

Those houses sell for way more than the average value of the homes in this neighborhood—and for way more than the value of my home.

Perhaps that is what the Office of Property Assessment was basing their re-evaluation of my property on.

I have made some improvements since I’ve been living here. Some new windows, a new back door, some new appliances. But nothing that would greatly increase the value of the house. Certainly nothing that would bring it in line with the new assessment.

Anyway, a former neighbor of mine used to work in that office, so with some advice from her—thanks, Mar!—I filled out the forms, took some pics of my definitely not remodeled home, and sent them in. And the Office of Property Assessment met me halfway—they reduced their assessment, not as far as I would have liked, but far enough that I did not think it was worth pursuing any further.

And then this year on the Fourth of July I received a new missive from them. They had increased my assessment yet again!

What gives? Why are they harassing me?

And yes, it is me they are harassing, as there is a web site where I can check, and they have not increased the assessments on my neighbors’ houses. Only on mine.

Another troublesome aspect about this ridiculous sky-high assessment is that it actually decreases the value of my home, as when potential buyers look at the assessment, it might make them less interested in buying because it means a higher tax bill. So even if I wanted to sell—which I don’t—the very existence of the higher assessment might end up forcing me to sell at a significant loss.

So once again I’ve taken photos of my house and I’m preparing to appeal, but is there to be no end to this ridiculous Philly two step?

Oh, and don’t mistake my relatively calm narration of the facts of the case. I’m really fucking pissed as all hell about this.