Over assessment in Alton

Descant · 12-18-2021, 12:51 PM

Generally, if you call the assessor's office, they will tell you which recent sales they looked at to match your building and land value comparison. You can look at those properties and see what's similar and what's different on the town database online.

Some years ago, I had a huge over-assessment on my land. Somehow, they listed me at twice the frontage than was actually the case. The answer was that I have a dug in slip. Frontage was measured with aerial photography, and nobody checked the previous assessment to see the increase. A few minutes on the phone, no research, no attorney, no increase. All fixed. The perimeter of the slip was not "shore-frontage". When you're doing hundreds or even thousands of updates, there are bound to be some discrepancies. That's why the ability to question is made easy.

BTW, if you say you taxed me for this, but not my neighbor, they may re-examine your neighbor. Better to make comparisons to places that aren't your friends, and as the assessors do, rely on actual sales.

12-18-2021, 12:51 PM	#6
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,407 Thanks: 1,362 Thanked 1,634 Times in 1,066 Posts	Generally, if you call the assessor's office, they will tell you which recent sales they looked at to match your building and land value comparison. You can look at those properties and see what's similar and what's different on the town database online. Some years ago, I had a huge over-assessment on my land. Somehow, they listed me at twice the frontage than was actually the case. The answer was that I have a dug in slip. Frontage was measured with aerial photography, and nobody checked the previous assessment to see the increase. A few minutes on the phone, no research, no attorney, no increase. All fixed. The perimeter of the slip was not "shore-frontage". When you're doing hundreds or even thousands of updates, there are bound to be some discrepancies. That's why the ability to question is made easy. BTW, if you say you taxed me for this, but not my neighbor, they may re-examine your neighbor. Better to make comparisons to places that aren't your friends, and as the assessors do, rely on actual sales.