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CASTELLAN
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///COMPARISON

Castellan vs Ownwell: 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 Ownwell claim cited to their own public pages.

Side by side

CastellanOwnwell
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.National-scale contingency appeals; describes managing the process “from paperwork filing to discussions with county assessors and attending appeal board hearings.”
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 — “25-35% of their actual property tax savings,” depending on state; free if no savings.
Property typesCommercial and residential.Residential, single-family rentals, and commercial.
Where they operateGeorgia, California, and Florida.At least TX, CA, NY, FL, GA, IL, WA, CO, and PA.
Who files & representsCastellan files and represents the appeal, including the hearing if there is one.Ownwell files and attends appeal board hearings per its pricing page.

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

When Ownwell is the better fit

Your property is in a state Castellan doesn't serve yet — Ownwell operates in at least nine states, including Texas, New York, Illinois, Washington, Colorado, and Pennsylvania.

You want a large, established national provider and your case is a straightforward residential appeal.

When Castellan is the better fit

Your property is commercial, or the dollars at stake justify per-case depth: Castellan's system researches your county's own comparable assessments and public sale records case by case, and files only when the data supports it.

You're in Georgia, California, or Florida and want the state's mechanics worked hard — the Georgia two-year value freeze (O.C.G.A. §48-5-299(c)), a California Prop 8 decline-in-value case with re-enrollment watched year over year, or a Florida VAB petition inside the 25-day TRIM window.

You want the increase-risk screen explicit: Castellan checks whether an appeal could raise your value before filing, doesn't file when it sees that exposure, and withdraws if it emerges.

Fair questions.

Is Ownwell legitimate?
Yes — this page isn't a takedown. Ownwell combines technology and local expertise to help real estate owners save money on property taxes. 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.