Outside the San Francisco Bay Area, Cook County is currently in the worst property crisis in the United States. Starting in 2007 and continuing on into 2025, property taxes have been growing exponentially. A combination of population growth, neighborhood revitalization, and chronic mismanagement has produced an environment where property taxes have increased 78% in some areas to nearly 600% in others. In the same timeframe, most real property values only increased 7-8%. It was determined in 2025 that Cook County’s taxable value had increased by 23%, or roughly $9.5 billion. Taxpayers in Cook County are not helpless, and this growing issue has caused more residents than ever before to explore tax protests. Also known as property tax appeals, tax protests are a mechanism that every resident of Illinois has to defend themselves against unfair taxes. The unprecedented taxing quagmire in Cook County is pushing more taxpayers than ever to protest... Read More

Dire Property Tax Situation in Cook County The housing market is tough across the country, but for residents of Cook County, Illinois, property taxes make homeownership a particularly challenging game. Appraisal districts across the United States rely on algorithms for mass appraisal. These aren’t exact measurements either, but more “educated” guesses of what a given property is worth. The results of this can be grim. Potential buyers can’t get into the market, while homeowners are seeing a new wave of taxes at their door. These taxes no longer reflect reality but are predicated on a housing market that was a license to print money a few years ago. Tax Beyond Value – Cook County Cook County is a prime example of the growing gulf between the supposed value of a property by an assessor and the true market value of a home. While the real market value of homes has... Read More

In February 2025, O’Connor expanded its property tax services with a new office in New York with Frank Grampone leading the office. Frank Grampone works with commercial property owners in NYC and residential property owners in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. With a wealth of experience in New York property tax services, Frank offers expert advice to clients as they navigate the complexities of property taxation. In New York, property taxes are handled at the local level, meaning each county, city, town, or village sets its own property tax rates. Property taxes are assessed by a variety of taxing authorities, such as the county, city, school districts, and special districts. The assessed value of a property is determined by the tax rate set by the appropriate taxing authority. Following the determination of assessments and the application of tax rates, property tax bills are issued by the local governments. Property tax bills are... Read More

Property taxes are due soon for Cook County property owners! Steer clear of late fees and penalties by keeping up to date on all property tax deadlines. Be Aware of Deadlines & Avoid Late Fees For Cook County property owners, your 2024 property taxes are due in two installments. The Cook County Treasurer has already sent out the first installment bills that are due no later than March 4th. If you haven’t already received your bill in the mail, now is the time to check your bill online. You can also make your first installment payment online at no charge to avoid the cost of a stamp or the inconvenience of making the payment in person. Your second installment on 2024 Cook County tax bills will be mailed by the end of June. Payment on the second installment will be due August 1st. For most other Illinois property owners, the first tax... Read More

If you are a property owner in Illinois, you should make it a habit to check your property values every year, even if you are not in a reassessment year. The reason for this is because in Illinois, property values can be adjusted for taxes in two very different ways. These methods of adjustment are reassessment and equalization. Even if you are a first-time homeowner, you have probably heard of reassessment. This is when the county or township assessor reviews property values, looking at specific criteria, such as location, square footage, condition, and improvements. By evaluating these conditions, the assessor calculates the value of a property. Often this is done by computer algorithms and mass appraisals. It is a homeowner’s right to contest these assessments. By law, when the county or township assessor adjusts the value of a home, they must send notification to the property owner. Another way that... Read More