Cleaning the data

Here are some of the steps county staff plans to improve the accuracy of property assessments:

  • Enlist local real estate agents to meet with property owners and explain how to appeal their property’s valuation.
  • More quickly compare Multiple Listing Service descriptions of homes, made when homes are put on the market, with the county’s information and make corrections accordingly.
  • Buy software that will generate tax values for properties that can be compared with those assigned by staff.
  • Ask county property owners via mass mailings each of the next two years whether the county’s description of their property is accurate and to notify the county of mistakes.
  • Launch a public information campaign to explain how the assessment process works and how to appeal.
  • Create a revamped website with property information more easily accessible in one location.
  • Reevaluate for accuracy the 2,500 neighborhood classifications the county uses in determining values.
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