Responding to an assessor questionnaire
September 5, 2014 12:24 PM Subscribe
It's been a few months since I bought my house, and I've received a questionnaire from the local assessor asking for details about the property. I plan to answer all the questions truthfully to the best of my knowledge and ability. Beyond that, do you have any advice on responding?
I've pulled the card on file with the assessor for my house, but it doesn't seem to cover all the questions I'm being asked, and some data on file are different than I would have answered.
For instance (and slightly changing the facts), it asks how many rooms there are, and the card on file says 10, but that seems to exclude the bathrooms (but include the kitchen). If I were to answer 13, which seems not unreasonable to me, I would be increasing the numbers of rooms on file, and presumably raising a red flag--even though the house has had the same number of rooms since it was built. I feel like if it had 10 rooms in January, it has 10 rooms now, but that's not the answer I necessarily would have given in the absence of the card on file.
There are a number of issues like that with the questionnaire, and I wonder if you have some tips on resolving the ambiguities, and general approaches to completing these kinds of forms (and maybe fighting city hall when they increase your assessment). I don't want to call the assessors if I can help it, as I don't particularly want to raise my profile (or give them the impression I'm trying to be clever with my answers).
Anonymous b/c my town is in my profile, and maybe the assessor is a MeFite!
I've pulled the card on file with the assessor for my house, but it doesn't seem to cover all the questions I'm being asked, and some data on file are different than I would have answered.
For instance (and slightly changing the facts), it asks how many rooms there are, and the card on file says 10, but that seems to exclude the bathrooms (but include the kitchen). If I were to answer 13, which seems not unreasonable to me, I would be increasing the numbers of rooms on file, and presumably raising a red flag--even though the house has had the same number of rooms since it was built. I feel like if it had 10 rooms in January, it has 10 rooms now, but that's not the answer I necessarily would have given in the absence of the card on file.
There are a number of issues like that with the questionnaire, and I wonder if you have some tips on resolving the ambiguities, and general approaches to completing these kinds of forms (and maybe fighting city hall when they increase your assessment). I don't want to call the assessors if I can help it, as I don't particularly want to raise my profile (or give them the impression I'm trying to be clever with my answers).
Anonymous b/c my town is in my profile, and maybe the assessor is a MeFite!
I had this happen with my first house shortly after I bought it. The assessor's card stated it had a partially finished basement. It did not. There were some other questions that prompted me to call the town assessor.
Apparently, this was because I had one room in my unfinished basement that was heated. That, according to the assessor's office, is the one factor that determines whether a room is "finished," and therefore for tax purposes I indeed had a partially finished basement -- though the room in question had bare concrete walls and wood frame ceilings and walls and any reasonable person would not call it finished.
It may be that your tax assessor's office does not count bathrooms as rooms. The only way you'll find out is to call and ask.
posted by tckma at 12:47 PM on September 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Apparently, this was because I had one room in my unfinished basement that was heated. That, according to the assessor's office, is the one factor that determines whether a room is "finished," and therefore for tax purposes I indeed had a partially finished basement -- though the room in question had bare concrete walls and wood frame ceilings and walls and any reasonable person would not call it finished.
It may be that your tax assessor's office does not count bathrooms as rooms. The only way you'll find out is to call and ask.
posted by tckma at 12:47 PM on September 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Did the real estate listing note that the home had improvements (e.g. "Updated Kitchen! All new floors!")?
Because assessors have been known to backtrack home sales into the MLS database and look for things like this and reassess the home.
posted by JoeZydeco at 1:01 PM on September 5, 2014
Because assessors have been known to backtrack home sales into the MLS database and look for things like this and reassess the home.
posted by JoeZydeco at 1:01 PM on September 5, 2014
It really would be best to ask. You probably won't have to give your address; just say you're filling out the form, and want to be accurate according to your assessor's definitions. In many places, a bathroom doesn't count as a room. Where I live, you need to say how many bedrooms there are -- but a room without a closet isn't counted as a bedroom, even if it has a bed. Asking is good because you might find out something that will save you money -- if a basement room with a heater is considered "finished," you could remove the heater if you knew you weren't going to use it as living space. Or maybe you're counting a bathroom with a shower (no tub) as a full bath, but the officials call it 1.75.
posted by wryly at 1:25 PM on September 5, 2014
posted by wryly at 1:25 PM on September 5, 2014
In Georgia our entire basement, all 1300 Sq Ft of it was excluded from the base of taxation because it was below grade. Sure, at the front of the house. You could walk out the back. Thank you sloped lot.
It behooves you to ask. You don't have to tell them who you are, just approach it from a "I want to be as accurate as possible without shooting myself in the foot." People who work in government, also own homes and pay taxes. They understand and they'll help you.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:18 PM on September 5, 2014
It behooves you to ask. You don't have to tell them who you are, just approach it from a "I want to be as accurate as possible without shooting myself in the foot." People who work in government, also own homes and pay taxes. They understand and they'll help you.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:18 PM on September 5, 2014
It still would have been helpful if you would have included your location in your anon question. Any public agency should have a public service line where you can ask general questions without giving your address. If you really want to be anon with them, have a friend or neighbor call and ask.
(If you're in CA you can memail me for more info).
posted by vignettist at 12:35 PM on September 6, 2014
(If you're in CA you can memail me for more info).
posted by vignettist at 12:35 PM on September 6, 2014
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It is far, far better for you to approach them with honest questions based on apparent inconsistencies like the one you mention: "Hey, I was trying to update* my card, but I think I don't understand what you mean by 'rooms,' because there haven't been any changes to the house since [date on old card], but I'm counting 13 rooms, and this says 10."
That may raise your profile, but to your advantage.
* -- Say "update" to make it more apparent that you're trying to make it correct instead of changing it entirely.
posted by Etrigan at 12:30 PM on September 5, 2014 [4 favorites]