Definition of "Reassessment"

Nikki Serrano real estate agent

Written by

Nikki Serranoelite badge icon

Sellstate Real Estate

A reassessment or a reappraising is a decision or strategy made by the owner or the state or local authorities. The reassessment definition is a revision of an earlier assessment. Property taxes are based on property values and tax rates. An assessor assesses the property value, and then a reassessment can be necessary if the property changes owners or changes are made to the property. The revaluation may have many reasons, such as recent comparable sales of a property, economic conditions, and new tax laws. The valuation is most often used for contract negotiations or tax matters. An example is revising the value of real estate based on new information.

Assessments and reassessments are done by local authorities either every year or every five years. As mentioned above, change in the property or change of ownership demands a new reassessment.

Why are reassessments done?

The main reason for reassessments is to determine the property’s tax. State or local authorities do this process through an assessor who may or may not visit the property. The assessor’s job is to evaluate the property’s value by considering the variables that affect it. Some of these variables are the lot and building size, number of stories, bedrooms, bathrooms, improvements from the previous assessment, comparables, curb appeal, etc.

Because the real estate market is alive and influenced by outside factors, the properties’ values can fluctuate with the local economy. Appreciation and depreciation can happen, but they don’t always affect properties in unison. An upcoming housing market crash will, however, affect house values. This can be affected by how often reassessments are done in one district or another, affecting property taxes’ correctness.

States like Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan require annual reassessments, while New Hampshire, New York, and Hawaii do not require periodic assessments and leave them to local districts.


Reassessments and assessments can also be used by property owners to determine their assessment ratio. This can be done to determine their tax liability and understand the state of the market.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

A line on a map or drawing showing equal ground elevation points. See also contour map. ...

When we think of rural property or rural real estate, most of us think of farms, properties with large areas designated to agricultural land. That’s how rural communities generally ...

A deed in which two or more people in an indenture agreement have reciprocity and obligations toward each other. ...

Recording an expenditure having a benefit of more than one year to the cost of the property. ...

Gradual deterioration of land due to nature such as because of floods, hurricanes and storms. Gradual decline in the value of real estate because of poor market and economic conditions. ...

A court order issued to a defendant in an action either prohibiting or commanding the performance of a defined act. A violation of an injunction could lead to a contempt of court citation. ...

An insurer who researches the title to real estate for the purpose of discovering any unknown liens or encumbrances on the property that may have come into effect before the current ...

Fan with an opening to the outside air that lets stale or hot air exit the structure; usually used in a kitchen when cooking or in a bathroom that does not have a window. It is used for ...

An opening with a hinged cover allowing access from one level to another in a structure. Often installed in a roof or the floor of a building to allow the entrance of people and materials ...

Popular Real Estate Questions