When is Grievance Day in Erie County?

In most Erie County towns, the Board of Assessment Review meets on the fourth Tuesday in May, which is the statutory default under New York law. Cities, villages, and certain municipalities operate on different calendars, and some assessing units set their own dates. Confirm the exact date with your assessor's office each year, because missing the deadline means waiting a full year regardless of how strong your case is.

Can my assessment go up if I file a grievance?

The Board of Assessment Review is reviewing whether your assessment is correct, and in practice boards overwhelmingly either reduce an assessment or leave it unchanged. The fear of retaliation is the most common reason homeowners never file, and it is largely unfounded. That said, if your property has unpermitted improvements that are not reflected in the assessment, drawing attention to the property carries its own considerations.

Do I need a lawyer to grieve my assessment?

No. The grievance process is designed for homeowners to use directly, and Form RP-524 can be completed without representation. Some homeowners hire counsel or a tax reduction service for higher-value properties or for the SCAR stage, often on a contingency basis. For a typical residential grievance, most people handle it themselves.

What evidence actually works?

Recent arm's length sales of genuinely comparable properties in your immediate area, and the assessments of comparable neighboring properties. A recent appraisal carries real weight. Photographs documenting condition problems the assessor could not have seen from the street are useful. What does not work: comparing your tax bill to a friend's, arguing that taxes are too high generally, or citing your purchase price from many years ago.

What happens if my grievance is denied?

Residential owner-occupants can pursue Small Claims Assessment Review, known as SCAR, by filing a petition within thirty days of the final assessment roll. SCAR is a simplified proceeding with a modest filing fee, heard by a hearing officer rather than a full court, and it is specifically designed to be accessible without an attorney.

Can I buy a double with an FHA loan?

Yes, provided you occupy one of the units as your primary residence. FHA permits owner-occupied purchases of one to four unit properties, which makes a two-family home eligible for the same low down payment terms as a single family house. Conventional and VA financing also allow owner-occupied multi-unit purchases under their own rules. The occupancy requirement is the key condition.

Will the rental income help me qualify for the mortgage?

Often yes. Many loan programs allow a portion of documented or market-estimated rental income from the non-occupied unit to count toward qualifying income, typically with a vacancy factor applied. The specific treatment varies by loan program and lender, so ask your lender directly how they will handle it before you shop.

What should I inspect specifically on a double?

Beyond a standard inspection, look at whether utilities are separately metered, whether there is proper fire separation between units, whether each unit has compliant egress including bedroom windows, the condition of shared systems like the roof and any common heating plant, and whether any unit conversion was done with permits. Add a sewer scope, since the lateral serves both units.

Do I need to register a rental property in Buffalo?

The City of Buffalo has rental registration and inspection requirements for rental dwellings, and separate municipalities in Erie County have their own rules. Requirements change, so confirm current obligations with the city or town where the property is located, and consult an attorney familiar with Western New York landlord-tenant practice before you begin renting.

Is a wet basement a dealbreaker in Buffalo?

Rarely, and treating it as one would eliminate a large share of the region's housing stock. What matters is the source, the severity, and whether it has been addressed competently. Surface water from poor grading is inexpensive to fix. Chronic hydrostatic pressure requiring a full interior drainage system is a real expense but a solvable and well-understood one. Active structural movement is a different conversation.

What does white powder on my foundation wall mean?

That is efflorescence, mineral salts left behind when water moves through masonry and evaporates. It confirms that moisture is passing through the wall. It is evidence, not damage in itself. What matters is how high on the wall it appears and whether it is recurring, since the height generally indicates how high water has been standing or wicking.

How much does it cost to fix a wet Buffalo basement?

It ranges widely by cause. Grading and gutter corrections are the least expensive and solve a surprising share of problems. An interior perimeter drain with a sump system is a mid-range investment and is the most common permanent solution in this region. Full exterior excavation and waterproofing is the most expensive and is usually reserved for specific structural situations. Get multiple opinions, because recommendations vary widely.

Should I install a sump pump if I do not have one?

If your basement stays genuinely dry and always has, a sump system may be unnecessary. If there is any history of water, a sump with a properly installed drainage system is the standard solution in Western New York. If you already have one, a battery backup is worth considering, because the storms most likely to flood a basement are also the ones most likely to cause a power outage.

Do I have to disclose past basement water when I sell?

New York has specific requirements around residential property condition disclosure, and material defects generally must be handled properly. The specifics have changed over time and carry real legal consequences, so consult your real estate attorney about your disclosure obligations rather than relying on general guidance. Practically, concealment tends to surface during inspection anyway and damages the transaction when it does.

How long is the attorney approval period in New York?

There is no single statutory length. It is a negotiated contract term, and in Western New York practice it is commonly a short window measured in business days from contract signing. The specific duration appears in your contract, and it can be extended by mutual agreement. Confirm the exact period in your contract with your attorney.

Can a buyer cancel during attorney approval?

It depends entirely on how the clause is written. Some attorney approval provisions are drafted broadly enough that either party's attorney may disapprove the contract, effectively ending the deal. Others are narrower and limited to specific issues. This is one of the most important clauses in the contract and its exact wording matters, which is precisely why you want your attorney reviewing it.

Do I really need a real estate attorney in New York?

Yes. New York is an attorney state and residential closings here involve legal representation as standard practice. Attorneys handle contract review and negotiation, title issues, and the closing itself. This differs from many states where title companies handle closings without attorney involvement.

When should I hire my attorney?

Before you sign anything, or immediately upon having an accepted offer. The attorney approval period is short, and time spent looking for representation is time subtracted from the period your attorney has to actually review the contract. Have someone lined up before your offer is accepted.

Is attorney approval the same as the inspection contingency?

No. They are separate provisions that often run concurrently. Attorney approval concerns the legal terms of the contract. The inspection contingency concerns the physical condition of the property. A contract can clear attorney approval and still be terminated later under the inspection contingency, and the two have different deadlines and different mechanics.

Why do property taxes vary so much between Erie County towns?

Your bill combines several separate levies: county, town or city, school district, and in some cases village and special district charges. Each is set independently by a different governing body with its own budget. The school district portion is typically the largest single component, and school district boundaries do not align with town boundaries, so two homes in the same town can sit in different districts and carry different bills.

Can I compare tax rates between towns directly?

No, and this is the most common mistake people make. Municipalities assess at different percentages of market value, so a lower rate applied to a higher assessment can produce a larger bill than a higher rate applied to a lower one. To compare fairly you need each municipality's equalization rate or residential assessment ratio, or you need to skip the rate comparison entirely and compare actual annual bills on actual properties.

How do I find the actual property tax bill for a specific house?

Erie County and most municipalities publish assessment and tax information online, and the figure typically appears on the listing itself. Confirm it against the municipal or county source rather than relying on the listing alone, and check whether the current figure reflects exemptions the seller has that you may not qualify for.

Will my taxes go up after I buy?

They can, for a few reasons. If the seller had exemptions such as STAR, Enhanced STAR, or a veterans exemption that you do not qualify for, your bill will be higher than theirs even with no other change. A municipality-wide reassessment can also shift your assessment. And if you make significant improvements, those may be added to your assessment.

Does a lower tax town always mean a better deal?

Not necessarily. Lower rates sometimes reflect fewer municipal services, different school funding, or different infrastructure investment. The right comparison weighs total monthly cost against what you actually get for it, including schools, services, and commute. A cheaper bill in a town that does not fit your life is not a savings.

Buffalo & Erie County Real Estate Blog | Lisa Barnack, Property Pros

Q: What is a Buffalo double?

A double is local terminology for a two-family home, most commonly configured as two stacked flats with one unit on the first floor and one on the second, each with its own entrance, kitchen, and bathroom. The term is specific to Western New York and a handful of other older industrial cities. Elsewhere the same property would be called a duplex or a two-flat.

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Thinking About Your Next Move in the 716?

Whether you are buying, selling, downsizing, or just want to know where you stand, Lisa will give you a straight answer and a real plan. No pressure, no hype.

Book a Call With Lisa

Lisa Barnack

REALTOR · Property Pros · Buffalo, NY

Lisa Barnack is a REALTOR with Property Pros serving Buffalo and Erie County, including Cheektowaga, Lancaster, and the surrounding Western New York communities. She works with buyers, sellers, and homeowners across the 716, with particular attention to the region's older housing stock and the local tax and market details that shape every transaction here.

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