acreage and tax asseser

Southpaw · #1 09/21/07, 01:05 PM

The tax assessor is coming next week to assess our acreage. What can I expect? What are they looking for/at? We just have 5 acres, house, old barn and grainary. Just curious. Thanks.

Maura · #2 09/21/07, 01:19 PM

He could assess the acreage alone using land maps at the county office. He will probably have a card with information already on it from previous years. He will compare his card with what is currently there. He may remeasure the house (I would). He'll check to see what kind of foundation you have, and if the place is in good repair. If the barn is old and out of date, he may just tag a base value on it, same with the granary. He'll ask you questions so he has up to date information. In Michigan, if you keep your house updated, you can't be assessed for the increased value until the home is sold. This will vary between the states. Any additions will be added. He'll check to see if your acreage is in crop or not. If you are not using your acreage for market, he may change your classification from Agricultural to Residential. This may or may not affect the assessment of your property. Generally, Ag is priced less than Res, but it depends on your area. Five acres is going to automaticly be priced higher per acre than a large tract is.

It sounds like your assessor is doing his job, trying to keep his records up to date.

Windy in Kansas · #3 09/21/07, 04:27 PM

Most often they are looking at the size and repair/disrepair of the buildings and to see if they have all of them listed.

I would expect them to measure the footprint size of the buildings and simply look at the outside of them and that is about it.

palani · #4 09/21/07, 07:47 PM

They care nothing about the number of acres or state of repairs of buildings or fences. They are simply measuring the girth of your wallet and determining an appropriate share for the state.

Don't paint your buildings. Drive an old pickup. Wear worn overalls. Give your wife one cotton shift and make your kids go barefoot. Hang clothes on a clothesline and disconnect the electricity.

Make 'em feel sorry for you. You'll fare better for the deception.

rambler · #5 09/21/07, 10:16 PM

My state they want to see the # of bedrooms, and condition of out buildings - concrete or dirt floors, etc. Basically come up with a current value of your buildings.

--->Paul

texican · #6 09/21/07, 10:50 PM

and something else to consider...

Don't be confrontational, argue, or question them. No matter how bad they assess you, they can always make it worse.

As a matter of fact, there's no need to even be there, unless you're strong willed... they might ask to go inside your home and look around, if you're there...

I was off the tax grid for 13 years. Once "on" the rolls, I protested once, and won... I've not protested minor increases, since then, because they might come out and see the improvements I've made, and increase the valuations even more...

Beeman · #7 09/22/07, 12:13 PM

Too many variables to guess what they want or why they are coming. Is this their regularly scheduled every so many year as mandated assesment? Did you just buy this property? Did you just make improvements or file for permits for anything?
Here the assessor comes out on a regular schedule and just does an eyeball of your property unless there are obvious changes. Your assesment can and will change by the changes in values in your area as property and houses go up and land is subdivided.
I have spoken very civilly with the assessor's rep. when he was here and ended up getting a reduction. I have also appealed an assessment and gotten it reduced in the past.

TexasArtist · #8 09/22/07, 01:10 PM

The ones in our area are pretty nice. The last knucklehead they sent out though was obviously from the city or something. We have 22 acres and because we have the goats we have some areas fenced off. Well he marked downed that we had 5 seperates peices of property. It was easily taken care of when we went down to the tax office and explained that it is a farm and we have one property but yet within it there are 4 areas blocked off for the animals and garden. The lady couldn't belive he did that and he must have been sent some place else because I have seen him in quite sometime.

js2743 · #9 09/22/07, 03:53 PM

unless you are wanting to sell it, its best to make it look the worst because the higher he marks it the more tax you are going have to pay. years ago my grand father was putting in a bathroom and was doing the septic lines and that stuff. and some guy from the county came by and ask if he got a permit to dig that hole and he said no he didnt need one to dig a hole on his own property. well the county guy told him it would make his property value higher if he would get one that it was a improvement. he told the guy it was to high already with a few choice words and the guy left but things has changed today i guess. he would get in trouble for doing that but people have let the goverment run over them and they have got to much a hold on every one these days.

Old Vet · #10 09/22/07, 04:44 PM

You mean you got notice that the tax asser was coming? Around hear the only notice you get is when the drive up. Just let the look around and measure anything they want but do not help them any at all. Most of them are just doing what you pay them to do.

Rocky Fields · #11 09/22/07, 06:10 PM

Hey.

They usually don't stay long. As above, disappear when they are there. Otherwise they'll ask alot of questions that will make it easy for them to raise your taxes. Appeal later if they're too high...you need to have comps in your area that are lower to prove this.

RF

Southpaw · #12 09/23/07, 11:56 AM

In response to Beeman, no we did not just buy the place. We have owned this property for 17 years. We have not filed for any permits either.

They sent a letter with the time and date and strongly prefer someone be home when they arrive or that even a friend can be there in place of the homeowner. This is the first visit by a tax assessor in 17 years.

Maura · #13 09/24/07, 10:18 AM

Either someone informed the office that there is something going on, or, more likely, they are updating records. Seventeen years is a long time. Garages fall down, roofs leak, etc. Seventeen years ago your house may have been listed as 80% good. Now, it may be 70% good, or even 65% good. I've done mass appraisals and have found inaccurate information recorded (in one neighborhood, every house was listed as being 8 ft wider than it actually was, or a simple deck was priced as a porch,...), or outdated information, such as showing an old mobile home that had been removed years before. Often the assessor isn't informed of a garage being torn down. If you don't drive by the property every day, you may not know these things, which is why we like building and removal permits. You are supposed to get inside the house and look at it, but I find that's not necessary. Some people will invite you in of their own accord. Only once did I get a very bad feeling and frankly refuse to enter, but usually people are nice.

Scrounger · #14 09/24/07, 11:36 AM

Our ASS-essor is supposed to come out once in 3 years. I've seen them out here at least twice a year for the past 3 years. This last time, we got double taxed on our garage. The bad thing is - we don't even HAVE a garage......
The state gave us a tax "relief" package that amounted to $83 dollars for every $100,000 of assesed value. Trouble is - the county raised the taxes to more then compensate for this.

yellowsprings · #15 09/24/07, 01:56 PM

Our county sent one out to assess the new pole barn. He was going to mark it down as a finished garage with a concrete floor, not a pole barn. I had to open the door to show the idiot that it was indeed a pole barn with a dirt floor.

He also told me that he does not like coming out to the country. He was in a hurry because he was "scared" and told me you never know what happens in the country.