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jeffk · 08-09-2006, 05:13 PM

I may simply be that the assessors were able to get in to the full time residents property and therefore get a more accurate review? I know when they did Moultonboro they assessed my unheated porches as living area. I wasn't going to be bothered trying to sync up to let them in so they made a guess. I simply corrected their information and my assessment was lowered.

One thing about not letting the assessors in; they can be wrong in your favor or against your favor. If its in your favor I'll bet not too many people bother to "fix" the error. If its against you, we all squeal pretty loudly.

To be honest, I've never understood the confusion around the assessment process. They should just list the various features of your house and land including the square footage. There are some general evaluations such as the condition of the house. Once the list is done, its feed into a computer with the relevant numbers and out pops the assessment. If the list if correct, the assessment should be too. It seems to me that most of the items on the list are pretty straight forward. A 12 x 12 room is 144 sq feet. How hard is that?

The valuation is not meant to be in lockstep with the retail value of the property although it should be reasonably close. It is more important in comparing similar pieces of property. Again, if the list of features is correct the computer will spit out the right valuation.

I think the most confusion comes in around the magic numbers assigned to things like shorefront value and improvements that evoke a special tax. There's no doubt its more valuable but HOW much more at any given point in time is a real debate. If all shorefront owners are treated alike I guess that's about the best you're going to do.

08-09-2006, 05:13 PM	#5
jeffk Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,185 Thanks: 210 Thanked 451 Times in 260 Posts	Full time residents home to let the assessor in? I may simply be that the assessors were able to get in to the full time residents property and therefore get a more accurate review? I know when they did Moultonboro they assessed my unheated porches as living area. I wasn't going to be bothered trying to sync up to let them in so they made a guess. I simply corrected their information and my assessment was lowered. One thing about not letting the assessors in; they can be wrong in your favor or against your favor. If its in your favor I'll bet not too many people bother to "fix" the error. If its against you, we all squeal pretty loudly. To be honest, I've never understood the confusion around the assessment process. They should just list the various features of your house and land including the square footage. There are some general evaluations such as the condition of the house. Once the list is done, its feed into a computer with the relevant numbers and out pops the assessment. If the list if correct, the assessment should be too. It seems to me that most of the items on the list are pretty straight forward. A 12 x 12 room is 144 sq feet. How hard is that? The valuation is not meant to be in lockstep with the retail value of the property although it should be reasonably close. It is more important in comparing similar pieces of property. Again, if the list of features is correct the computer will spit out the right valuation. I think the most confusion comes in around the magic numbers assigned to things like shorefront value and improvements that evoke a special tax. There's no doubt its more valuable but HOW much more at any given point in time is a real debate. If all shorefront owners are treated alike I guess that's about the best you're going to do.