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1. What if I don’t agree with my assessment or classification?

Talk with the assessor to review the current assessment and look for obvious errors with regard to size, description or condition of the property in question. During this informal session, you can learn how your assessment was made, what factors were considered, and what type of records we have on your property. At that time, you can also compare the estimated market value of the property in question with similar properties in the same neighborhood and look for discrepancies.

Assessor’s records are public information and are available at the County Assessor’s office. Many times, questions or concerns can be satisfactorily addressed in advance of local board of appeal and equalization meetings. This preliminary review is provided as a service to property owners; it is not a formal part of the review process provided for by law and it does not take the place of any other appeals proceedings.

2. What if, after this informal talk with the assessor, I still disagree with the assessment or classification?

For information, view the Valuation/Classification Appeal Page.

3. What is “market value”?

Market value is the price a willing, knowledgeable buyer would pay for your property if it were offered for sale on the open market. The assessor does not create this value, but instead interprets what is happening in the marketplace. Values change with economic conditions as well as changes to the property.

4. What evidence do I need to present to the Board of Appeal and Equalization?

State law puts the burden of proof on the property owner to show that the assessment is incorrect. Keep in mind that your evidence must be strong enough to prove that the assessor’s value is incorrect. Only relevant testimony given at the Board of Review meeting will be considered by the board. Stating that the taxes are too high is not relevant testimony for purposes of this meeting.

The best evidence of a property’s value would be a recent arm’s length sale price for that property. The next best evidence would be recent sales prices of properties that are similar to the property in question. The closer in proximity and similarity, the better it is as evidence. This sale information is public information and is available through local realtors and can also be obtained from the Assessor’s office. Other relevant testimony may include a market analysis done by a local real estate expert or a recent appraisal done by a certified appraiser. You should also remember that the purpose of the meeting is to make sure that your property is equally assessed when compared to other properties.