Broward property appraiser: check your TRIM notice; free 'Owner Alert' can warn of title changes

Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kier told the Coral Springs City Commission on Aug. 20 that property market values and taxable values in Coral Springs rose in the latest year and urged residents to review their TRIM notices for possible assessment or exemption errors.

Kier said market value across the city rose about 4.2% year over year to roughly $25.277 billion, and taxable value rose 7.12% to about $16.143 billion. “If that's the millage rate that you adopt, you'll get an additional $6,500,000 more of new revenue this year, than over last year,” he told commissioners.

Kier explained the TRIM (Truth in Millage) notice is not a tax bill but a document that shows a property's assessed value, exemptions and the dates of hearings where taxing authorities — the city, schools and county — will consider millage rates. He urged residents to contact the property appraiser’s office by Sept. 17 if they believe their assessed value or exemptions are incorrect.

Kier also described a county program he launched called Owner Alert, which notifies property owners if someone files a document that appears to change a property’s title. The free service, available at bcpa.net, uses email, text and mailed notices; about 300,000 Broward property owners have signed up and 50% of Coral Springs homesteaded owners were enrolled, Kier said. “If any document legitimate or not is filed changing ownership, they'll be notified instantaneously,” he said.

Kier spent substantial time describing title‑fraud schemes and law‑enforcement partnerships. He said his office has added detectives and an assistant state attorney to investigate and prosecute fraudulent deeds and other title crimes; several recent prosecutions resulted in multi‑year prison sentences, he said. Kier described cases that, he said, targeted seniors and vulnerable residents and urged people to enroll in Owner Alert.

Commissioners and staff asked about municipal revenue implications, the appraiser’s outreach timetable and how residents can meet appraiser staff at local events. Kier said staff will attend local events and a City Hall session on Sept. 12 and that his office can perform on‑site visits for seniors and disabled residents.

Why it matters: Rising taxable values affect the revenue available to the city and other taxing authorities, and title fraud remains a localized, ongoing criminal issue; Kier urged personal and municipal vigilance and use of the free Owner Alert service.

No city vote or ordinance resulted from the presentation; the session was informational.