Understand Their Frame of Reference to Get Your Point Across

Recently, I called a property-tax reduction firm about protesting my property taxes. The form downloaded from their website requires homeowners to list renovations done on their home, along with accompanying photos and receipts.

I was puzzled. Didn’t renovations INCREASE rather than decrease the value of a home? How would knowing about renovations help the firm build a case to protest and LOWER my taxes?

The agent assured me that knowing about my previous renovation would definitely lower...