Commercial and industrial properties in Cook County are assessed at 25% of fair market value — more than double the residential rate. That higher assessment level means over-valuations hit harder. Our firm represents owners of office buildings, retail centers, industrial facilities, and multi-family properties in appeals before the Cook County Assessor, Board of Review, and PTAB.
Request a Portfolio ReviewCook County classifies commercial and industrial properties differently than residential, and the assessment methodology requires specialized knowledge. We handle appeals across all major commercial property types.
From single-tenant office spaces to Class A high-rises in the Loop, we analyze income and expense data, vacancy rates, and cap rates to demonstrate that your property's assessed value exceeds its actual market value. We work with office buildings throughout Chicago and suburban Cook County.
Strip malls, shopping centers, standalone retail buildings, and mixed-use properties with retail on the ground floor. Shifting retail trends have impacted market values across Cook County — if your assessment hasn't kept pace with market conditions, we can build a case for reduction.
Warehouses, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and industrial parks. We evaluate industrial properties using comparable sales, income approaches, and cost analyses to challenge the Assessor's valuation. Industrial properties classified at the 25% assessment level are particularly susceptible to over-assessment.
Apartment buildings with seven or more units are assessed as commercial property in Cook County at the 25% level. We use income capitalization analysis, actual rent rolls, and operating expense data to challenge inflated assessments on multi-family buildings throughout the county.
Cook County uses a classification system that applies different assessment levels to different property types. This system is unique to Cook County — the rest of Illinois assesses all property at 33.33% of fair market value.
Because commercial and industrial properties are assessed at 25% of market value while residential properties are assessed at 10%, the tax impact of an over-assessment is significantly larger for commercial owners. A $100,000 error in market value translates to a $25,000 increase in assessed value — and at typical Cook County tax rates, that can mean thousands of dollars per year in excess taxes.
Our firm understands these classification nuances and uses them to build the strongest possible case for your property. We also advise clients on incentive classifications like the Class 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8 incentives that can reduce the assessment level on qualifying properties.
We review your property's assessment history, income and expense statements, lease terms, and recent comparable sales to identify the strongest basis for an appeal.
We build a comprehensive evidence packet using the income capitalization approach, comparable sales analysis, or cost approach — whichever methodology produces the best result for your property type.
We file your appeal at the appropriate level — Assessor, Board of Review, or PTAB — and represent you through the hearing process. For larger portfolios, we coordinate filings across multiple PINs and townships.
Whether you own a single commercial building or manage a portfolio of properties across Cook County, we can analyze your assessments and identify opportunities for reduction. Contact us for a confidential review.
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