Definition of "Assessed value"

Karol Flannery real estate agent

Written by

Karol Flanneryelite badge icon

Bentley's Real Estate

The term assessed value is used to define the dollar value of a property for the applicable taxes. The evaluator, a tax assessor, determines the property’s assessed value for tax purposes through real estate valuation. Once the evaluation is done, the assessed value is used to establish the property’s tax and is taxed accordingly.

The assessed value can be differentiated from the property’s appraised value, tending to be lower than this. The difference between the two can be anywhere from 10% to 100%.

What is the Assessed Value?

Calculating the taxes that apply to any particular property, also known as the ad valorem tax, the assessor must determine the assessed value. As the ad valorem tax is applied annually, the assessed value is calculated every year, unlike the appraised value that can also be appraised every five years. 

The local government designates the tax assessor by tax districts as each region calculates the assessed value differently. The calculation’s basic standards are more or less the same, but because different districts’ market value varies, tax assessors are designated by regions. To determine an accurate assessed value of a property, the tax assessor takes sales of comparable homes and home inspections into account. Other factors on which the valuation is based are the property’s quality, the value of the property, home features, location, square footage, and market conditions.

How is the Assessed Value used for Property Taxes?

As mentioned above, assessors calculate the assessed value annually as this real estate valuation is the basis for determining the annual property tax that the owner has to pay. Based on the factors specified before, the assessor determines the assessed value as a percentage of the property’s fair market value. All these calculations are computerized, and information about real estate obtained from the neighborhood and surrounding areas plays a crucial role in determining an accurate valuation.

For owners that also inhabit the property, the assessed value can decrease over time (also known as a homestead exemption). This decline is unrelated to the property’s fair market value and does not affect it. However, it does affect the property tax by diminishing it.

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

In the business world, the definition of override means a salesperson paying a commission to a supervisor or another agent. The meaning of override refers to an arrangement for acquitting ...

Form of deed used in the transfer or real property. It is somewhat narrower than a warranty deed in terms of covenants and warranties. ...

The willingness of a lender to give a mortgage to a mortgagor. A mortgage commitment will give a time period the mortgage will be given and an indication of the interest rate to be charged ...

Thinking about selling your own home without an agent? You can. For Sale By Owner or FSBO is how it’s called in the real estate world. It's when a homeowner decides to sell his/her ...

Where property is sold to the highest bidder. ...

Putting a waterproofing substance on the exterior cement walls of the structure to prevent water from entering the interior of structure. The cracks in the walls are patched up. ...

Contractual clause allowing one or both parties to terminate the agreement if a specified occurrence takes places. This is a cancellation clause, which allows the agreement to become null ...

Device that cuts off an electric circuit when the current becomes to strong. ...

Any walls constructed without using concrete or mortar. Drywall materials include sheetrock, gypsum, plywood, Styrofoam, and pressed fiver. See also drywall construction. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions