07/31/2026

Commercial Property Owners Facing Valuation Increases Have Appeal Options

Property owners and managers should be on the lookout for communications from their local county auditor with information about new "tentative values" for properties for the 2026-2027-2028 tax cycle. 41 Ohio counties will likely see significant valuation increases during the current mass appraisals process.

Property taxes are increasing with commercial and industrial classes hit hardest, but you can protect your property by knowing the process and using expert help. Hotel & lodging business owners have the right to challenge these new higher values and fight the resulting tax increase.

Which counties will see increases this summer?

Under state law, real property in all counties is fully reappraised every six years, but property values are "updated" in the third year. Ohio uses a staggered approach, so 41 of 88 counties will issue new valuations this summer. This chart shows the timeline for these "informal value reviews" in each county. This Ohio Department of Taxation document shows the appraisal and valuation schedule for all 88 Ohio Counties. The Columbus Dispatch reported last month that proposed property values in Franklin County increase by 7.4 percent. Some localized areas within certain school districts see average increases of 16 percent or more including commercial properties. While residential property values are currently rising at a higher rate, with Montgomery County seeing a nearly 20 percent increase, even a moderate increase in valuation for a high-value commercial property can lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional tax expense. Statewide, property tax values have continued to climb, reportedly as much as 30 percent or more in the past several years. The Warren County Auditor predicted property owners would see the largest tax increase they have ever experienced.

OHLA has Allied Member partners who are experts in this field. If you are interested in discussing legal options, contact Joe Savarise at joe@ohla.org or call 614-461-6462 for more information.