Watchdog Property Intelligence
Professional tools guide

Three core workflows, explained simply.

Use this guide for the Appeal Prospect Scanner, Watchdog Score, and appeal packet.

Scanner guideWatchdog Score guideAppeal packet guide
1 · Appeal Prospect Scanner

Find properties worth reviewing.

The Scanner helps professionals identify properties that may deserve a closer tax assessment review.

How to run a scan

  1. Open the Appeal Prospect Scanner and choose a county and municipality.
  2. Choose a sales window and minimum estimated annual savings.
  3. Run the scan. If there are not enough usable sales, widen the window or choose another municipality.
  4. Sort by opportunity, estimated savings, assessment gap, sale, or evidence strength.
  5. Open a property for details or add it to your Watchlist.
What the result means: a prospect is a screening candidate. It is not a filing recommendation, appraisal, legal conclusion, or guarantee of a tax reduction.
Verify before filing. Property condition, renovations, record errors, exemptions, reassessments, revaluations, and stronger comparable evidence can change the conclusion.
Open ScannerData methodology
2 · Watchdog Score

Use the score as a measurement, not a rating.

The Watchdog Score is a 0 to 100 view of a property's current tax position. The ROBUST Framework v1 explains the factors behind it.

R · RecoursePaths and evidence for review.
O · Overassessment PositionAssessment versus supported value.
B · BurdenTaxes relative to property value.
U · UniformityConsistency across the assessment system.
S · StabilityPressure for reassessment or structural change.
T · TrajectoryDirection of the property's tax position.

How to use it

  1. Start with the headline score.
  2. Open the ROBUST breakdown to see the six dimensions.
  3. Review the markers and sources driving the result.
  4. Check confidence and missing evidence before drawing a conclusion.
  5. Use history and momentum separately from the current score when available.
Important: ROBUST is not a desirability score for a home, family, neighborhood, municipality, county, or government. It does not determine an appeal, appraisal, loan, insurance decision, legal outcome, or where someone should live.
Explore ROBUSTRead methodology
3 · Appeal packet

Organize the evidence for review.

The appeal packet brings the subject property, comparable sales, Chapter 123 calculation, and source notes into one working document.

What the packet contains

  • Subject property details and current assessment.
  • Up to five usable New Jersey comparable sales.
  • Municipal equalization context where available.
  • The Chapter 123 calculation.
  • Uniformity and county appeal history where available.
  • Source notes for material figures.

How to use it

  1. Open a saved property's full report and review What happens if you file.
  2. Check the Chapter 123 position and evidence strength.
  3. Generate the packet and review each comparable manually.
  4. Export the larger comparable list if you need additional review.
  5. Use the packet with the current county filing instructions and required official forms.
The packet does not file an appeal. It does not complete Form A-1, pay a filing fee, or serve the assessor or municipal clerk. Always verify current filing deadlines and procedures.
Open saved-property reportsReview data methodology
Missing evidence

Do not fill gaps with guesses.

If Watchdog says there is not enough evidence, check the source record, gather independent market evidence, or try again when additional data is available.

Watchdog organizes public-record data and Watchdog calculations. Public records remain public records.