The records for my property are not correct, what should I do?

Often the Assessor’s building records are not correct because the Assessor is a mass appraisal organization and either the work was done too quickly, or the information changed or there was information that slipped through the cracks and was never processed. For every property there is a building record on file which includes a diagram of the shell of the structure and a description. From the diagram the square footage of the building is calculated and the description will include the type of property, the use type, and any other information that may be relevant to the property. These are the records that most real estate transactions are based on even though the Assessor makes no representation of having complete information for valuation purposes. The information is meant for assessment purposes only, however in reality it is the practice of real estate officials to use the information as official for purchases, sales, and other transactions.

When the records for your property are incorrect it is very simple to change and/or update them. Simply contact your county Assessor’s Office via the internet or phone and ask to have the records updated. Within the Assessor’s Office this is called a public service request and will be forwarded to an appraiser who will either speak to you and/or make an appointment to visit the property to measure or see what the differences are and then make the adjustments accordingly. This is a very simple process and can easily be handled. If there is an addition to your property that you constructed and was never assessed for this could result in an increase in your tax base however, if the error is the Assessor’s error the statute of limitations states that you will only be assessed four years in back taxes. However, if the changes were done before you purchased the property then it is considered to be maintenance before transfer and since you purchased the property with the construction there, no assessment would be added. The reason for this is because you paid for what you have and so there really has been no increase in value as opposed to if you added then there is an increase in the value. The Assessor may ask for information pertaining to the permit or documentation as to what the property was when you received it such as the listing however this will vary case to case. Often, the Assessor will go off of your word and will update the records accordingly. This is very common and a simple procedure, simply ask.