• WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ASSESSMENT YEAR AND TAX YEAR?
Your property is assessed (or valued) in one year and taxed on that value in the next. For example, property valued for the 2008 assessment, will pay taxes on that value in 2009.

• WHY DOES MY VALUE CHANGE WHEN NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO MY PROPERTY?
Supply and demand create market value and assessors measure it. In an appreciating market, as demand increases and the cost of buying property increases, other property values will rise too. The same is true, in reverse in a declining market. Your property value changed even though you haven't changed anything and have no intention of selling it.

• WHAT IS MARKET VALUE?
A simple definition of market value is what you could sell your property for in today's market. The sale must be an arms-length transaction between a willing buyer and willing seller to fit the definition.

• HOW DOES THE ASSESSOR DETERMINE THE ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE?
A mass appraisal process is used for estimating market values. Information from all sales that occur within the county is collected and closely analyzed by the Assessor's Office. The Assessor's Office then adjusts market values by comparing properties that sold within a given area with properties that have not sold within that same area.

 • WHY DOESN'T THE ASSESSOR'S VALUE REFLECT THE SALE PRICE OF MY PROPERTY?
The number one reason is there is a lag between the time of the assessment and when the sale takes place. The Minnesota Department of Revenue has a fact sheet My House is Worth What? that explains in depth why many times the assessor's estimated market value and the sale price of a property are usually different.

• I JUST RECEIVED THE ‘NOTICE OF VALUATION AND CLASSIFICATION' FROM THE ASSESSOR AND I DON'T AGREE, WHAT CAN I DO?
First, call the assessor's office and make a request to have your property reviewed. Many times changes occur to a property that the assessor is unaware of. If after the assessor reviews your property and determines an adjustment should or should not be made and you are not satisfied, there are statutory steps that you can take. Again, The Minnesota Department of Revenue has a fact sheet "Appealing the Value or Classification" of Your Property explaining the steps.  click here for a Valuation Appeal Applicaion.

• I DON'T WANT THE ASSESSOR TO VIEW MY PROPERTY; CAN HE/SHE CHANGE THE VALUE WITHOUT VIEWING IT?
The simple answer is yes and if you don't allow access to your property you lose your right to appeal the value that has been placed on your property. Minnesota Statute 273.20 states "ASSESSOR MAY ENTER DWELLINGS, BUILDINGS, OR STRUCTURES.Any officer authorized by law to assess property for taxation may, when necessary to the proper performance of duties, enter any dwelling-house, building, or structure, and view the same and the property therein. Any officer authorized by law to assess property for ad valorem tax purposes shall have reasonable access to land and structures as necessary for the proper performance of their duties. A property owner may refuse to allow an assessor to inspect their property. This refusal by the property owner must be either verbal or expressly stated in a letter to the county assessor. If the assessor is denied access to view a property, the assessor is authorized to estimate the property's estimated market value by making assumptions believed appropriate concerning the property's finish and condition."

• DOES THE ESTIMATED MARKET VALUE INCREASE AT THE SAME RATE ON ALL PROPERTIES?
 No, it does not. There are differences between individual properties and between cities or townships. In one area the sales may indicate a large increase in value and in another area there may be very little or no change in value. Also, different types of property within the same area may show different value changes. There are numerous factors to be considered in each property which will cause value changes to differ. Some of the factors that can affect value are location, condition, size, quality, basement finish, garages and many other factors.

• DOES AN INCREASE IN MY ESTIMATED AND/OR TAXABLE MARKET VALUE MEAN THAT MY TAXES ARE GOING TO INCREASE BY THE SAME PERCENTAGE?
Not usually. The valuation is just the first step in what the tax bill will be on your property. See the page "Top 10 Reasons Why Your Taxes Might Change". While occasionally it can happen, usually an increase in the valuation does not correlate with the same increase in your net tax. In fact your value can go down while your taxes go up. Minnesota property tax is one of the most complex in the country and many factors and calculations go into determining what your net tax will be.