ATLANTA—CBRE is getting more aggressive in Atlanta. The company just expanded its valuation services to add property tax advice to its Atlanta and Southeast's Valuation and Advisory Services department.

Sam Johnson comes on board as CBRE's director of property tax services to lead the new specialty. With Johnson at the helm, the firm says it has the administrative and technical expertise clients demand to manage and minimize property tax assessments and taxes.

“By implementing the Property Tax Services, CBRE's Valuation and Advisory team, in addition to helping clients in minimizing their tax exposure, will be providing valuable insight as to what to expect in tax values and taxes for pre- and post-acquisitions for clients purchasing new assets,” says Ron Neyhart, CBRE's Southeast managing director of Valuation and Advisory Services. “During the development phase of a new property, we can provide tax budgeting assistance to more accurately reflect expected taxes.”

CBRE is now equipped to offer services within the discipline range from tax value reviews to fully implementing and carrying through the tax value appeal process, both for individual assets and asset portfolios. Johnson's team can handle all aspects of the tax bill management process to make sure tax bills are accurate, minimized and timely.

Johnson joins CBRE with 28 years of property tax services experience. He is a member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation and an associate member of the International Association of Assessing Officials.

The valuation services competition is heating up. Dallas-based Butler Burgher Group acquired New York-based Leitner Group last fall. The alignment buoys BBG's status as one of the fastest-growing independent commercial real estate valuation and consulting firms in the country, according to Anna Caplan's GlobeSt.com report.