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Real Estate Assessor's Office Frequently Asked Questions
Q | Why are assessments determined annually? |
A | The assessor is legally required to assess annually. |
Q | What is the effective date of an assessment? |
A | Each parcel is assessed as of July 1. |
Q | Does the assessor determine the tax rate and the real estate tax? |
A | No. The real estate tax rate is determined each year by the City Council. The amount of real estate tax is determined by multiplying the assessed value by the tax rate. |
Q | Does the assessor set assessment policy? |
A | No. The assessor's duties are administrative and subject to judicial review. In simple terms, the assessor follows legal guidelines in listing and valuing real estate for taxation; if a citizen(s) feels the assessor is not acting legally, remedial action may be sought in a court of law. |
Q | Does the assessor control the amount of taxes collected? |
A | No. The assessor has nothing to do with the total amount of taxes collected. |
Q | Who is responsible for mailing the real estate tax bills and who collects the tax? |
A | The City Treasurer's Office. |
Q | Will routine property maintenance increase your assessment? |
A | No. Generally only those items which materially enhance the value of the property, or repairs that recapture a loss in value that has been previously recognized in a lower assessment, result in an increased assessment. |
Q | Do demolitions affect the assessment? |
A | The assessed value of all buildings, which are demolished, is deducted from the total assessment quarterly following completion of demolition. |
Q | When are buildings under construction assessed? |
A | All new construction is subject to being assessed on a quarterly basis when substantially completed. |
Q | My house was built several years ago. I am building an addition to my house and would like to know when this addition will be assessed. |
A | All additions and alterations to existing properties are inspected and subject to being assessed on a quarterly basis when completed. If the addition is considered substantially complete, the assessment will be made effective as of that date. |
Q | How are property owners notified of any change made in the assessed value of their property? |
A | When any change is made in the total assessment of a property, the property owner is notified of the new value in writing by the Assessor. |
Q | Is it fair for my assessment to increase at a rate greater than the City average? |
A | Yes. The City average can be misleading. The City has in excess of 50,000 parcels of real estate which increase at different rates, depending on the location. The City average is a composite of all these different rates; therefore, the average rate of increase is not a true reflection for any specific parcel. Each assessment is established according to fair market value on July 1. This is a legal mandate and the assessor has no authority to cap assessments at a certain percentage increase, or use an average factor to adjust assessments. |
| Q | How often is my property visited by an appraiser? |
A | All properties are viewed annually. More detailed inspections are conducted for any addition or alteration or upon request of the property owner. |
Q | I just bought a house for X dollars. Shouldn't the assessment be set exactly at X dollars? |
A | Probably not. Fair market value is, in effect, an analysis of sales prices. Every buyer and seller operates under unique motivations and a differing skill level. A sale price is that point measured in dollars where two parties are willing to strike an agreement. Many times, very similar properties sell for divergent prices. The assessor must apply the general market indications of value to specific parcels of real estate. |
Q | I'm a retired person, why should my assessment increase? |
A | There are many ideas regarding how the assessment process should work. Our elected officials write laws that the assessor must administer. The assessor administers the assessment process in accordance with the Code of Virginia and the Code of Newport News which require all assessments to be based on fair market value with no consideration given as to the ownership or personal circumstances involved. The assessor has no authority to reduce or abate assessments for the above mentioned reasons. If the assessor were allowed to make such reductions, there could be no uniformity or equity in the assessment system. While assessments cannot be reduced, real estate tax relief may be granted if certain requirements are met. Additional information concerning the requirements for this program may be obtained by visiting the Real Estate Tax Relief section of the City web site or contacting the Commissioner of the Revenue at 926-3535. |
