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Assessor

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1. What is the assessor's role?

The assessor is a State certified individual whose duties are to discover, list, and place a value on all taxable real and personal property in the city, in a uniform manner. The assessor is not involved in the collection of property taxes.

2. What is the difference between real and personal property?

For property tax purposes, "real property" refers to land and buildings and the rights associated with ownership, while "personal property" is the furniture and equipment owned or used by businesses.

3. How does the assessor value property?

Wisconsin law requires that property assessments be based on fair market value. Estimating the market value of your property is a matter of determining the price a typical buyer would pay for it in its present condition. Some factors the assessor considers are what similar properties are selling for, what it would cost to replace your property, the rent it may earn, and any other factors that affect value. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE ASSESSOR DOES NOT CREATE THIS VALUE, BUT RATHER INTERPRETS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE MARKET PLACE.

4. What is market value?

Market value is defined as the amount a typical, well-informed purchaser would be willing to pay for a property. The seller and buyer must be unrelated, the seller must be willing, but not under pressure to sell, and the buyer must be willing, but not under any obligation to buy. The property must be on the market for a reasonable length of time, the payment must be in cash or its equivalent, and the financing must be typical for that type of property. If all of these conditions were present, this would be a market value, arm's-length sale.

5. I've heard you develop appraised values by computer. Is this correct?

Just as in many other fields, computers are useful in the assessment process. Assessors are trained to look for relationships between property characteristics and market value. By coding these characteristics and studying sales prices, assessors can estimate value by developing formulas and models. Computers are much faster and are capable of advanced analysis in this area. But despite these capabilities, common sense and assessor judgment are always required to verify assessments. Our appraisers have vast valuation experience and are highly familiar with all neighborhoods throughout the City.

6. Can the assessment on my property be changed even if the assessor has not been inside my property?

To make a proper assessment of a dwelling or other building, it is desirable for the assessor to see the inside and the outside of the property. The law requires that property be valued from actual view or the best information available. The assessor’s office has a vast amount of historical records on the physical characteristics of each property in the municipality. Even though the assessor may have been unable to go through your property, the assessment will still be reviewed, based on the existing records and the sales of similar properties.

7. Will I be penalized if I don't let the assessor in when an inspection is requested?

When an interior inspection is unavailable or not allowed, the assessor will attempt to update the records by looking at the property from the outside and using any other available information. To ensure an accurate assessment, it is to your advantage to allow the assessor inside your property when an inspection is requested. By denying an inspection, you may lose the right to appeal your assessment to the Board of Review.

8. What will happen to my assessment if I improve my property?

Generally speaking, improvements that increase the market value of a property will increase the assessed value. The following are typical items that will increase the assessed value of your property:
• Added rooms or garages
• Updating old windows and siding
• Substantial modernization of kitchens or baths
• Central air conditioning
• Adding Fireplaces, Decks, Porches, Sheds, etc.
• Extensive remodeling or updating, etc.

9. Will my assessment go up if I repair my property?

Good maintenance will help retain the market value of your property. Generally, your assessment will not be increased for individual minor repairs such as those that follow; however, a combination of several of these items could result in an increased assessment:
• Repairing concrete walks and driveways
• Replacing gutters and downspouts
• Replacing hot water heater
• Repairing or replacing roof
• Repairing porches and steps
• Repairing original siding
• Patching or repairing interior walls and ceilings
• Exterior painting
• Replacing electrical fixtures
• Replacing furnace
• Exterior awnings and shutters
• Weather stripping, screens, storm windows, doors
• Exterior landscaping including lawns, shrubbery, trees, flowers

10. How can my assessment change when I haven't done anything to my property?

General economic conditions such as interest rates, inflation rates, supply and demand, and changes in tax laws, will influence the value of real estate. As property values change in the market place, those changes must be reflected on the assessment roll.

11. Why does the City have to conduct a revaluation?

The City of Superior Assessor's Office revalues all property on a quasi-cyclical nature to keep pace with changes in the market, as dictated by Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 70. The City of Superior must maintain its assessed values within 10% of true full market value within a specified time period. During a revaluation year, all assessments are examined and adjustments are made where necessary to guarantee that all properties are assessed at market value. This is done to assure that taxes are distributed equitably and uniformly.

12. I've been told that everybody's taxes go up after a revaluation. Is this true?

No, it is not. If the total levy remains the same, only those properties which are not presently paying their fair share will pay more taxes after a revaluation. Properties presently paying more than their fair share will pay less.

13. Do all assessments change at the same rate?

There are differences between individual properties and between neighborhoods. In one area, the sales may indicate a substantial increase in value in a given year. In another neighborhood there may be no change in value, or even possibly a decrease in property values. Different types of properties within the same neighborhood may also show different value changes. For example, one-story houses may be more in demand than two-story houses, or vice-versa. Older homes in the same area may be rising in value more slowly than newer homes. There are numerous factors to be considered in each property that will cause the values to differ. Some of the factors that can affect value are location, condition, size, quality, number of baths, basement finish, garages, and many others

14. How will my taxes change as a result of a new assessment?

Though the value of your property affects your share of taxes, the actual amount you pay is determined by the budget needs of the schools, city, county, technical college, and state reforestation. All of these taxing units decide what services they will provide in the coming year and how much money they will need to provide those services. Once this decision is made, a tax rate is adopted that will generate the needed dollars. Your property taxes are then determined by applying the annual tax rate (in the form of dollars per thousand), multiplied by your total assessment divided by 1000.

Example: If the total assessed value of your property were $75,000, you would multiply the tax rate (also known as mill rate) per thousand times 75. ($75,000/1000).

Utilizing the 2005 City of Superior tax rate of $19.54 per $1,000 would result in the following real estate tax estimate:

(75,000/1000) 75 X $19.54 = $1465.50

Tax rates change on an annual basis. The total tax dollars (levy) to be collected is determined by the overall budget needs of the governmental and educational entities that require our tax dollars to provide the services we demand and expect. The total amounts of the levy (budgets) are then divided by the total assessed value of the community to determine the overall tax rate for that given year.

15. Where do my tax dollars go?

Although your tax payments are made to the Treasurer, a large share of your tax dollars are turned over to other governmental units such as the schools, county, and the state. City services such as Public Safety, Public Works, Health and Sanitation, Administration, Grant and Aid Projects, and Culture and Recreation are also bought with your tax dollars.

16. Will I be notified if there is a change in my assessment?

Wisconsin law requires that whenever an assessment is changed the owner must be notified.

17. How do I know if my assessment is fair?

You should first attempt to decide for yourself what your property is worth. This can be done by looking at area sales, contacting appraisers, and comparing assessments of similar homes. Sales and assessment information is open to the public for review and available in the Assessor's office during regular business hours.

Additional questions and information can be reviewing in the Wisconsin Department of Revenues publication “Guide For Property Owners” which can be obtained at following web address - Guide For property Owners