Meet Sean Acosta, Founder of Property Tax Reduction Consultants

Sean Acosta, founder of Property Tax Reduction Consultants, is one of the most recognizable names in the industry. After starting his business in 1990, P.T.R.C has helped more than 400,000 homeowners lower their property taxes.

A respected business leader, Acosta is also a prolific, community-minded philanthropist. In charitable circles on Long Island, Acosta has made his presence known. Doing so with impact in mind, Acosta’s desire to help others is rooted in his own upbringing and an innate desire to give back.

Born in Bayside, Queens, Acosta was raised in a working-class family. He was an adult when he began to call Long Island home. Purchasing his first home in Nassau County, he learned first-hand of the cost-of-living burden that Long Island’s more than eight million residents bear every day. He started his business with homeowners in mind.

“I got into business to help people,” he says. “I get calls all the time from veterans, from senior citizens, from new families starting out, and it makes me happy to be able to help them remain here on Long Island, or start their family here on Long Island.”

Leading the company with a small-business mindset, Acosta’s trademark is his personal touch. His involvement in the day-to-day operations has helped his company sustain three decades, which means that, when hiring Property Tax Reduction Consultants, the client gets him, his knowledge and his personal experience throughout the entirety of the process.

“I oversee the entire operation, from A through Z,” says Acosta, who splits his time between a home in Nassau County and one in West Hampton Dunes. “I love being able to negotiate on behalf of homeowners. Things have changed so much in the industry. For example, there was no Google Maps in 1990, so I got my first overhead pictures of Long Island from NASA.

“Today, PTRC uses all the latest technology,” Acosta continues. “We can now, more accurately, assess your property and the many factors that impact its value. All of this we use to make sure our clients pay their fair share of property taxes — and no more.”

Acosta’s experience in this unique industry has been lauded, which is why his insight has been sourced in various news publications and broadcasts. Acosta can be frequently seen on Fox Business Network, offering perspective on matters pertaining to property taxes, as well as read about in business publications and Long Island’s newspapers.

Acosta is a believer in giving back to the community. It, clearly, is part of both Acosta’s personal and professional mindsets. Through the years, he has bolstered the presence of many of the region’s leading philanthropies, especially the holiday toy assistance program, U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots.

Toys for Tots is the region’s largest toy assistance program and has never been more impactful than in post-pandemic life. Since the dawn of the pandemic, industries across the entire economy have been shaken up, causing many of the area’s residents to feel the pinch of hard economic times.

He was inspired to join Toys for Tots more than 16 years ago, and since his earliest stages, his role has grown. He now is co-chair of the Toys for Tots program on Long Island.

“My first experience with Toys for Tots was in 2006,” he says. “I saw the good work that they did first-hand. Being a native New Yorker, and growing up in Queens, many in my neighborhood — my family included — struggled to make ends meet sometimes. It really hits home around the holidays, when you can make a difference in a child’s life through a smile and a toy.

“When it comes to the holiday, Toys for Tots is recognizing the very real need,” Acosta says. “There are some who, last year, donated toys to Toys for Tots, and unfortunately, this year, will be recipients. There’s no experience like kicking off the holiday, with children getting their first glimpse of Santa, cheering and clapping. It’s truly the magic of the holiday and Toys for Tots itself.”

Acosta also takes it upon himself to give back around the holidays in other ways. Come late November, Acosta can often be found offering Thanksgiving dinners to underserved community members and assisting at soup kitchens, food pantries or local schools. On these occasions, the entire PTRC team participates in giving back to the community.

“My staff members are always willing to dedicate their time to assist,” Acosta says. “It’s a work day for them, but they’re happy to do it.”

He adds, “We all know someone who is in need around the holiday season, so this is an opportunity, we see, for us to do our part as a company and as individuals.”

During the warmer months, Acosta splits his time between Nassau County and the East End. He has been visiting the East End since the age of 13. When spending time on the South Fork, he often is with his family, which is the foundation for memories he cherishes.

“We got to visit some of the farms on the East End, and we would go to Montauk to go horseback riding,” he says. “But, more importantly, we spent quality time together as family and friends, time that stays with you forever.”

Todd Shapiro is an award-winning publicist and associate publisher of Dan’s Papers.