When it comes to the home valuation process, our goal is to make it simple and straightforward so you, the property owner, can be both well informed and well educated.
Market values change over time as properties are bought and sold. It’s for this reason that Ohio law requires County Auditors to conduct a reappraisal of all real property every six years. In addition, every three years, the county is required to update values to reflect the current market. Year 1, referred to as the reappraisal year, is when the county auditor views the properties’ exteriors and conducts a full reassessment of their market values. The auditor’s appraisal staff will utilize aerial photography to capture physical changes made to properties since the last reappraisal and drive to properties to verify changes (as needed) made since the last assessment. Once the auditor determines the reappraisal value, it generally stays in effect for Years 2 and 3 of the tax cycle unless the property is sold, damaged or significantly improved. Year 4 is known as the update year, also known as a triennial. County auditors make adjustments to property values based upon market data gathered in the previous year(s) without physically viewing each property. The data mainly considered by the State of Ohio for this update is the average sales within the county over the previous year. These values generally remain the same for Years 5 and 6, again, unless the property is sold, damaged or significantly improved.
Below is a summary of the steps the Auditor’s office will use to determine the 2025 tax year values which will be reflected on the 2026 tax bills in Carroll County.
For the reappraisal, the county contracts with a state registered appraisal firm to complete the project. The appraisal firm will utilize aerial photograph and in-person reviews of properties within the county to determine its attributes and ensure that the county records accurately account for each building that exists on each property. Carroll County contracted with John G. Cleminshaw, Inc. Doorhangers will also be left at properties to let owners know that an appraiser visited their property. This process will begin in mid-2023 and should be completed by early 2025.
The appraisal firm establishes neighborhood boundaries, looks at historic trends, and accounts for actual sales that have occurred over the last three years within these boundaries to determine the estimated fair market value of properties.
The estimated fair market value is used as the gauge when appraising property and setting the value.
Fair market value is defined as an estimate of the most probable price a property may sell for in an open market between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any pressure to buy or sell, and all parties having full knowledge of all relevant facts about the property.
Please take some time to review the information on the Frequently Asked Questions to assist in your understanding of this process. Please keep in mind that at this stage we are only able to talk about the value of your property. Any discussion on the tax implications would be speculation due to the fact that there are other factors yet to be determined that may impact your tax bill, such as a new tax levy or a reduction in the tax rate.