Pennsylvania Property Tax Attorney Schnore Law LLC

A guiding principle of Peter Schnore’s real property valuation practice is that no property owner should be forced to pay more than its fair share of real estate taxes. Mr. Schnore has 20 years of experience in helping his clients understand western Pennsylvania’s unusual assessment system and valuation law, evaluating evidence of their property’s assessable value, and identifying worthwhile opportunities to reduce their assessments. If a property is over assessed, Mr. Schnore helps the owner develop a compelling case to obtain a reduction through appeals before county Boards of Assessment Appeals and Courts throughout western Pennsylvania.

Mr. Schnore has obtained significant tax savings for owners and tenants of all variety of commercial, industrial, high-end residential, and special-use properties. This includes office (including many of the trophy high rise office properties in downtown Pittsburgh); retail (including conventional malls, power centers and lifestyle centers); restaurants; banks; hotels; multi-family (including affordable housing); gas-fired electric powerplants; food packaging facilities; industrial/manufacturing facilities; cellular towers; landfills; grocery stores; vacant land; underground mineral interests, and casinos. Mr. Schnore has successfully handled a “class action” real estate tax assessment case on behalf of an oil and gas exploration and production company whose infrastructure was unconstitutionally targeted for assessment increases. Mr. Schnore’s clients range from small business owners and local real estate investors to REITs and companies with real estate assets throughout the United States.

Mr. Schnore understands the importance of having his finger on the pulse of the local commercial real estate of market. Mr. Schnore has the experience to identify the most reputable local and nationally-recognized real estate appraisers. It is critical to identify an expert who understands, or who is willing to learn, the nuances of Pennsylvania assessment law so that they accurately appraise only the assessable components of the real property, as dictated by the current state of Pennsylvania assessment law, as well as demonstrate the ability to make a compelling presentation of their work and conclusions to the factfinder from the witness stand.

Mr. Schnore is committed to his clients’ success, zealously advocates for their rights, and knows how to assemble and present a compelling real estate tax assessment case. Mr. Schnore has a demonstrated record of achieving very successful outcomes for clients to minimize their property tax liability, and regularly helps his clients navigate the Pennsylvania appeals process to obtain fair and equitable assessments.

Mr. Schnore often represents property owners on a contingent fee basis, where the fee is calculated upon the taxes saved for the tax years at issue in the appeal. Because Pennsylvania counties operate on a base year assessment system where there are no regularly-scheduled countywide reassessments, property owners usually enjoy the tax savings of a successful appeal for many years after the appeal has reached a final decision.

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