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County Assessor Dick Jones, 58, is a native of Culpeper County and now lives in Manassas. |
COUNTY ASSESSOR Dick
Jones called our afternoon session "Appraisal 101," and that's as good a name as any.
Considering that property values in Stafford County have made their biggest jump in more than 20 years, I had lots of questions about assessments.
And with 35 years of experience as an appraiser, the last six in Stafford, Jones had lots of answers as we spent a few hours touring county subdivisions last week.
Jones heads a five-member team of appraisers who work for Stafford Commissioner of Revenue Scott Mayausky. More than 40,000 reassessment notices were mailed out to residents earlier this month, and they reflected an average increase of 14 percent to 15 percent in property values since the last assessment two years ago. The increase is the largest in the county since 1979.
Jones said the big increase simply is a reflection of higher sale prices for homes in Stafford.
"Builders are paying more for lots," he said. "And homeowners are paying more for houses."
At the current real-estate tax rate of $1.18 per $100 of assessed value, Stafford's average increase means the tax bill on a $100,000 home would jump $177. That equals $14.75 per month on a mortgage.
Jones wanted to make the appraisers' role in the process clear, however.
"People need to understand that we don't determine their tax bills," he said. "According to state code, our responsibility is to determine 'fair market value' for property. Then it is up to the Board of Supervisors to set a tax rate. They may raise it, lower it or keep it the same."
Jones said appraisers use local sales figures as a basis for the assessments.
For example, two homes built in the same year by the same builder with the same square footage might be appraised at different figures if they are located in different parts of the county.
"We're comparing markets, not houses," he said.
Appraisers consider sales from a "neighborhood" of similar homes to help them reach a bottom-line value on each property in the county. A neighborhood may be a self-contained subdivision, like Aquia Harbour or Augustine, or it could cover a larger area in more rural parts of the county, like Widewater or Hartwood.
Jones said appraisers determine a grade value for homes in each neighborhood. The grade values are Excellent, B, C or D, and may include plusses or minuses.
During our tour of Austin Ridge subdivision in North Stafford, Jones said most of the homes had a B grade, based on the quality of construction and the location with easy access to Interstate 95. For those homes, the B grade added 20 percent to the assessment.
Other factors that impact the bottom-line figure are the age and condition of the house, the square footage and the amenities.
Appraisers determine the square footage by taking exterior measurements of the home, being careful to consider all livable space, including overhangs, bay windows and dormers.
Jones said that to place a value on amenities, his staff determines a standard rate for each line item based on discussions with builders and people in construction supply sales. Line items that would add to the value of a home include things like air conditioning, fireplaces, wood floors, garages, concrete driveways, different types of heat and plumbing, and even high-grade shingles on the roof.
County appraisers make two visits to homes under construction--once while insulation is being installed and again just before homeowners move in.
Jones said the first visit helps staff members get a three-dimensional look at the livable square footage, and the second visit helps them see the quality of construction.
In addition to keeping track of new houses, staff members visit every existing home in the county during the two years between assessments. Jones said appraisers visually inspect the exterior and look for any additions or changes since the last assessment. They may leave a card asking the homeowner for additional information.
Decks are appraised by the square foot and fences by the linear foot. But Jones said landscaping is not generally considered in the assessment.
"If a neighborhood is well-landscaped, it might mean a 'plus' on the grade level," he said. "But as far as how each house is landscaped, we can't draw that fine a line.
"In mass appraisals like this, we tend to err on the conservative side."
I asked Jones if two county appraisers looked at the same property, would they come up with the same assessment.
"No," he said. "Not down to the last dollar.
"There are always times when experience and judgment come into play. Two appraisers may decide differently on the size of the neighborhood for getting sales data, or they may differ on how they rate the quality of construction."
Still, Jones said that "equity for all properties in the same class" is an important goal. He said all of the county appraisers go to school for a weeklong session each summer to ensure that "everyone's pretty much on the same page."
Residents had until Friday last week to register for an appeal if they had questions about their 2002 assessment.
Jones said about 350 people made appointments. He said during an appeal, a staff member will go over a resident's account line by line and even revisit the home, if necessary. He also said that a small percentage of residents request a higher assessment.
"That's usually because they are getting ready to refinance," he said.
Over the years, Stafford assessments have averaged out to about 94 percent of a property's market value, according to Jones. The reason it's not closer to 100 percent is because a home's value will normally increase between the time it is appraised and sold.
Jones said there is no slack time for the appraisers. Even as supervisors are now deciding tax rates based on the 2002 assessments, the county's appraisers are under way compiling the figures for 2004.
Office Manager LEE WOOLF may be reached at 720-5470 in the Stafford office at 616 Garrisonville Road; or at 374-5000, ext. 5616. The e-mail address: lwoolf@freelancestar.com.
