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CASTELLAN
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///COMPARISON

Castellan vs O'Connor: which fits your appeal?

Both are legitimate ways to challenge a property tax assessment — they're built for different owners. Here's the factual comparison, with every O'Connor claim cited to their own public pages.

Side by side

CastellanO'Connor
Service modelCompletes the appeal end to end — researches the county's own assessment records, builds the evidence, files before the deadline, and argues the live hearing.Annual enrollment-based “Property Tax Protection Program” — appeals filed and represented every year, from informal hearings through coordinating judicial appeals and binding arbitration.
Fee structurePure contingency — the rate is set by state and quoted in writing before you sign. If the appeal doesn't win, the fee is $0.Contingency — “half of first year property tax savings” (50%), with no upfront fees.
Property typesCommercial and residential.Commercial in roughly 45 states; residential concentrated in TX, IL, GA, and NY.
Where they operateGeorgia, California, and Florida.Texas-rooted; commercial reach described as ~45 states.
Who files & representsCastellan files and represents the appeal, including the hearing if there is one.O'Connor staff file and represent enrolled properties annually.

Competitor information reflects their public materials as of the dates cited and may change — verify with the provider.

When O'Connor is the better fit

Your property is in Texas — O'Connor has been rooted there since 1974 and handles protest volume at a scale few match; Castellan doesn't serve Texas today.

You want set-and-forget annual enrollment with one provider re-protesting every year, and coordination into judicial appeal or binding arbitration when a case warrants it.

When Castellan is the better fit

You're comparing what a win costs you: O'Connor's published fee is half of first-year savings; Castellan's contingency rate is set by state and quoted in writing before you sign, and is $0 if the appeal doesn't win.

You're in Georgia, California, or Florida and want technology-driven, per-case research on the county's own records rather than volume enrollment.

You want a provider that tells you when you have no case — Castellan files only when the county's own data supports the appeal.

Fair questions.

Is O'Connor legitimate?
Yes — this page isn't a takedown. O'Connor describes itself as “one of the largest property tax consulting firms in the United States,” founded in 1974, with a team of 1,000 worldwide representing 185,000 clients. The right choice depends on your property, your state, and how much of the work you want done for you.
Can a property tax appeal ever raise my taxes?
In some states, yes — a review board can raise a value as well as lower it (for example, a Georgia Board of Equalization may increase, decrease, or sustain a value under O.C.G.A. §48-5-311). Whoever you choose, ask how they screen for that exposure. Castellan checks before filing, doesn't file when it sees it, and withdraws if it emerges.
What should I compare when choosing a property tax appeal service?
Five things: who does the filing, who attends the hearing, what the fee is measured against (and when it's $0), whether they screen for the risk of a value increase in your state, and whether they'll tell you when you have no case.

Sources

Know where you stand.

Enter your address and we'll check the county's records at no cost. If there's no case — or another provider genuinely fits you better — we'll say so.

Serving Georgia, California, and Florida today.

Property tax appeals. Any estimate is based on county assessment data and public records and is not a guarantee of any outcome. Representation and fee terms are provided in writing before any filing. Competitor information reflects their public materials as of the dates cited and may change — verify with the provider.