Home Reassessment Question

[Golden sunsets]

We went through a town-wide reappraisal last year. It's a bit of a crapshoot. If your % increase is less than the % increase in the grand list then your taxes are lower (assuming the same budget) or the inverse. And while they say that they appraise to fair value, they really are consistently lower than fair value as that results in less grievances.

Yeah. And you're in NH, so similar to us in ME. Were you asked to schedule an interior inspection, and if not, would you have granted one if you had received this request?

 

[pb4uski]

Yeah. And you're in NH, so similar to us in ME. Were you asked to schedule an interior inspection, and if not, would you have granted one if you had received this request?

Actually, we're in Vermont. Going from memory, I don't think that they asked to come inside.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Actually, we're in Vermont. Going from memory, I don't think that they asked to come inside.

Oh oops. I knew it was one of the northeast states.

 

[OldShooter]

... You apparently think that the assessors may assume that we have, but we actually have, so perhaps we lay low because they'll get us anyway. ...

Well, if you do have something significant to hide, it might be worthwhile to roll the dice, especially if you did not pull permits. Tough call.

 

[W2R]

Our assessors are supposed to re-assess every 4 years. In practice, in my 19 years of home ownership here, they have only done that once (in 2020). At that time they raised my assessment a whole $15K. Not a real hardship, and probably only about 10% of how much the real value had risen since I bought the house in 2015.

In 2015 it was assessed at the purchase price. Presently I have a frozen assessment since I am over 65 (or was it 70?) and my income is under a certain amount.

They wouldn't even dare to send such a letter in our neck of woods. I would not let them enter my house.

+2 I would never let them inside my home. That's ridiculous. Luckily I don't have to test this out since I have the frozen assessment for seniors.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

This

If it were me, the first thing I'd do is make sure what they have in their system, square footage-wise, bathroom count, etc, is accurate. If it's higher than reality, I might invite them inside to correct that. Given that stuff is accurate already, it's hard for me to think of something they'd reduce if you let them in. Oh, hardwoods, oh, crown moulding, etc, etc.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Well, if you do have something significant to hide, it might be worthwhile to roll the dice, especially if you did not pull permits. Tough call.

Right. Just to be clear, permits were not required. If they had been our contractors would have done so. We replaced cabinets, appliances/plumbing fixtures/flooring/lighting, only.
I do think it's likely though that an assessor would assume up to date kitchens/baths regardless of the date of last update in certain higher priced neighborhoods. The assessments in our neighborhood fit neatly into a matrix of similar price per square foot, regardless of outdated vs updated kitchens/baths in certain homes. These in line assessments only fall apart when actual sales prices are disclosed, which don't necessarily fall in line with assessed per foot numbers.

 

[RobbieB]

If it's not against the law to refuse entry I would refuse entry.

Especially in these covid times. Yeah, make it work for you!

 

[RetiredAt55.5]

Retired at 55.5 and Statsman; Your responses are an eye opener. So you would let the assessor into your home?

Yes!!

A couple of years afterwards, I went online and saw what I was paying relative to my neighbors. It looks like I paid the "you didn't let us in, so we assumed it's all excellent inside" surtax.

In my county, you cannot win an appeal by comparing your assessment to the neighbors on your street. You have to convince them that the assessment is too high based on comparables, but they don't let you know for weeks whether they agreed on what you considered comparable (i.e., it's a rigged system or you have to know someone on the assessment board).

YMMV, but this is what happened to me. I wish they would reassess again, it's been about 20 years.

 

[jazz4cash]

In my county, you cannot win an appeal by comparing your assessment to the neighbors on your street. You have to convince them that the assessment is too high based on comparables,

Sounds contradictory.

Our property taxes in MD are sky high but the appeal process worked out pretty well for me. I was very skeptical and I was told they would not process appeals due to COVID office closures but I got a favorable reassessment in about 4 months. Six months later the house next door (same floor plan) sold for more than our “too high” appraisal. Around here appraisals generally lag market value by 15-20%.

When I was working on our appeal I found several law offices that claimed they would get your property reassessed and their fee was the amount saved in the 1st year. I submitted my info and they never contacted me. I assume they did not feel it was a good case or the potential savings was not worth it to them.

 

[karen1972]

With all the sales data pics out there, one can reasonably assess if your home is on par with the neighborhood. If you home is above par, then it is not to your benefit to let them in. However, if while you did significant updates, 4 other houses sold on your block and put in ridiculous upgrades, it might be better to have the assessor in, without assess he may reasonably assume that is what average homes on your block look like and thus you should be assessed like them.

I'm in new construction and they have appraised us all the same solely based on sq ft. They don't care if you have a screened in porch or fireplace or upgraded kitchen, so the houses sold with a $75k range based on features but we are all paying the same in property tax. Granted in this market when you go to sell, these things don't seem to change the ridiculous price people are willing to pay so maybe thats fair.

 

[old medic]

Our county has been doing this every 5 years... and wanna talk about being TICKED OFF!!! Our old place was 2/10s a mile off the end of a dead end road, I come home to find the 2 guys of the reassessment team IN MY SHOP... They just opened the door and walked in... The county manager... who is also my boss... got an earful...

Last year our new place was increased 36%... argued it but still stands

 

[frank]

I have had problems in the past with assessments. when I built my house the assessor never came inside. when I got my first tax bill he charged me for a fireplace, finished basement that wasn't done at the time. I had to go to the assessors office and explain the situation. the assessment was changed to reflect the things I was being assessed for and did not have, but If they don't look inside they can say you have things not there. on another note, my wife and I built a convenience store in 1995 and the bank wanted an appraisal before finalizing the amount of the loan. the appraiser sent in an appraisal that was totally wrong. it said I had vinyl tile floors, when I had quarry tile floors, it said I had a 220 volt electric service when I had 3 phase. these and some other mistakes the appraiser made brought down the value of the store below what the bank would loan on it. I went to the bank and pointed out the errors, the bank told the appraiser of my concerns and he went out and checked, fixed the problem and it went through. the worst part was that it seemed like the appraiser never even looked at the store, and I still had to pay him 1500. for a reallly flawed appraisal. you never know how these things are going to turn out.

 

[Golden sunsets]

One thing to note in my situation is everyone will get the same form letter, asking residents to arrange for the interior inspection. Only those who actively respond will be inspected. My neighborhood is small(15 houses). We know all of our neighbors so an unofficial poll can easily be taken, to get a sense of the number who plan to arrange for the visit.

 

[sengsational]

Their alternative could simply be to make (potentially unjustified) assumptions, raise your assessment, and then put the onus on you to prove that they got it wrong.

That's what they did to me. They walked around the neighborhood, and decided my house had a basement because it's on a hill and has a walk-out door under the first floor. They not only included the square footage under the house, but under the garage, under the attached shed and under the porch stoop. Yeah, and the house was built over a crawl space.

 

[Ready-4-ER-at-14]

Just a though about a possible work around. Since the desire is to see if the assumptions about the condition of the house are correct and you don't object to that, could you offer to make an appointment to meet the inspector at the house and then do a live zoom like meeting and walk through showing them what they wanted to verify. They would be live and could ask to show specific things.
That way there is no covid exposure and if the video starts with them in front of your house and is live, it is not doctored.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Just a though about a possible work around. Since the desire is to see if the assumptions about the condition of the house are correct and you don't object to that, could you offer to make an appointment to meet the inspector at the house and then do a live zoom like meeting and walk through showing them what they wanted to verify. They would be live and could ask to show specific things.
That way there is no covid exposure and if the video starts with them in front of your house and is live, it is not doctored.

That's a good suggestion. The vaccine rate in our county is very high and by the time this second letter is sent out requesting inspection, I suspect that new infections will be very low. Recent new infections are dropping like a rock. So if I decide to respond, I will just inquire if they are vaccinated and based on their response let them in. I'd be shocked if they weren't vaccinated. There is very little vaccine hesitancy in our little corner of the world.

 

[lawman]

Stop giving up your rights before you have no more. Never consent to a warrantless search of your property.

 

[pb4uski]

While I agree that the OP probably shouldn't let the assessors in. characterizing it as a "warrantless search" seems really out there to me.

 

[lawman]

While I agree that the OP probably shouldn't let the assessors in. characterizing it as a "warrantless search" seems really out there to me.

That's the problem..

 

[pb4uski]

Right back at ya.

 

[OldShooter]

... Never consent to a warrantless search of your property.

Life's a tradeoff. "Never" and "Always" are words that rarely apply. In this case, too, I think "search" is inaccurate.

Don't want the assessor in your house? Fine. I suspect a substantial fraction (but not a majority) of people feel that way. But does this rise to the level of being a threat to our constitutional rights? IMO, no.

 

[lawman]

Life's a tradeoff. "Never" and "Always" are words that rarely apply. In this case, too, I think "search" is inaccurate.

Don't want the assessor in your house? Fine. I suspect a substantial fraction (but not a majority) of people feel that way. But does this rise to the level of being a threat to our constitutional rights? IMO, no.

It's my opinion that most rights are lost in gradual increments. I view it as erosion. Allowing the government to come into your house is the first step to losing the right to keep them out. Exercising your right is the only way to keep it.

 

[newlyold]

Definitely DO invite the interior inspection in!

There are so many good reasons to have your home's interior value appraised by your community's inspector! Definitely invite them in. Things I've enjoyed from accompanying the inspector inside my home include:

* Information about how my improvements have changed my home's resale value.

* Learning about changes in tax structures.

* Discovering how my neighbors' home improvements (or lack thereof) have improved or decreased the value of my home.

* Getting advice about what things are drawing my value down, and how to improve/repair/replace/upgrade them so my home is more likely to provide a better return on investment.

* As time passes, nothing gets cheaper--unless you don't upgrade your home. It will be worth less and less unless you keep it up.

* Part of keeping up your property's value is having well-maintained roads, clear views at intersections, proactive tree & water control, upgrades in sewer systems to accommodate changes in neighborhoods, better schools, safe bridges, excellent police & fire & emergency rescue staff & equipment, better facilities for voting safely, clean air & water, and more. That all comes from your property taxes, and all those things we rely on can degrade and fall behind, and even wear out & break, when we try to hide our property's value in an effort to pay less taxes. Imagine trying to build the road that goes past your home all on your own budget. You'd never be able to afford it. Now imagine all those other services I listed above, that we all rely on and enjoy to make our homes comfortable and safe, being severely and increasingly underfunded because people act selfishly and don't want to pay their tiny portion of taxes that make those important things possible. That's not right.

I want the inspector inside and outside so I can keep taxes lower--through helping everyone pay the fair amount for those services, instead of just a few people paying lots, and most everyone else hiding their homes' value--all in the name of paying less taxes.

I only see benefits from the inspections. Yes, I may pay another hundred bucks, or more, next year on my home's appreciated value. But the police will be there when I need them. The schools will produce intelligent kids that grow into adults who can innovate and be quickly employed. The roads will have the snow plowed quickly, and potholes repaired, and be painted and serviced when they should be. And the bridges won't be falling down.

All because I, and everyone else, pay the taxes that make those good things possible. Pay your fair share, and donate to your city & state tax funds--you can ear mark special things you're particularly interested in--like libraries or parks or bike paths--to help get them going and maintained properly so you & your family & friends can enjoy them.

Taxes are a good thing--never a burden--if we only consider trying to do without what taxes pay for.

 

[pb4uski]

It's my opinion that most rights are lost in gradual increments. I view it as erosion. Allowing the government to come into your house is the first step to losing the right to keep them out. Exercising your right is the only way to keep it.

Just because you agree to allowing the assessors to tour the inside of your home to do their job doesn't mean that you have to anytime in the future... so any notion of erosion is nonsense.