Copies of building permits are sent to the Assessor. Land development, new buildings, additions, and other structures require an appraisal from the Assessor and may require an inspection. Structural repairs and/or replacement are not appraisable events in most situations.
The value of new construction is added to the existing improvement assessed value. The new assessed value will not change except for the annual inflation adjustment of up to 2%. As with all newly assessed values, the property owner has the right to appeal the value.
Property Improvements Are Assessed Separately
When property owners improve or remodel their property, the additions or upgrades are valued at market value in that year. Only the value of the new addition or upgrade will be added to your existing assessed value.
The new value can only increase by up to two percent each year after that. The unimproved portion of the property continues to be assessed based on its original acquisition (purchase) value.
For example, if a homeowner purchased a home and then add a garage eight years later, the home and garage are assessed separately that year. The original property is assessed at its original base year value adjusted upward each year while the garage would be assessed at its own market value adjusted upward. The property’s new assessed value would be the old value plus the value of the improvement or improvements.
Improvements That Do Not Increase Assessed Value
- Accessibility construction for disabled homeowners
- Accessibility compliance construction for any property
- Reconstruction following environmental contamination
- Reconstruction following natural disaster
- Solar energy construction (initial installation)
- Fire–safety improvements
- Seismic safety improvements