| Pottawatomie County Appraiser Frequently Asked Questions - General | ||
| Why is property taxed in Kansas? | ||
| Your tax dollars are used by local government to provide funding for roads, parks, fire protection, police protection, health and other services. Property taxes also fund public school districts. All property tax dollars received by the state are redistributed to public school districts or to educational building funds. | ||
| What does the County Appraiser do? | ||
| By law the county appraiser is responsible for listing and valuing property in a uniform and equal manner. The appraiser determines the appropriate value of your property. The amount of taxes you pay depends on the budgets set by local government, special assessments and an amount collected by the state and redistributed to public schools. | ||
| How does the county's appraisal affect my taxes? | ||
| If your property value goes up, it does not necessarily mean you will pay more taxes. Likewise, if your property value goes down or does not change, it does not automatically mean you will pay less or the same amount of taxes. Changes in property taxes are based in large part on how much your local government decides to spend on services each year. | ||
| Will the value of my home change every year? | ||
| The value of your home may change each year -- it depends on market conditions, improvements to your property, etc. The county appraiser continually reviews and records sale prices and other information on homes all over the county. | ||
| What is property appraised at? | ||
| Homes, commercial real property and certain other property categories are appraised at "market value" as of the first day of January each year. Market value is the amount of money a well-informed buyer would pay and a well-informed seller would accept for property in an open and competitive market without any outside influence. Land devoted to agricultural use, light passenger motor vehicles, and commercial and industrial machinery and equipment are appraised using a value based method, however it is not "market value". | ||
| How does the county appraiser determine market value? | ||
| When valuing your home, the appraiser
determines the age, quality, location, condition, style and size of
your property. The appraiser then uses one or more of the following
three methods to value real property: The Market Approach: sales of similar property are compared to each other. The appraiser then adjusts for differences (for example, one house may have more square footage than another). This method works well for valuing homes. The Cost Approach: the cost to replace your property is adjusted for age and condition. This approach works well for new and unique properties. The Income Approach: in general terms, income from rent is used to value property. This method works well for income producing properties (for example, apartment buildings and malls). |
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| Does the county appraiser visit my home? | ||
| State law requires the county appraiser to view and inspect all property in the county once every 6 years. Your county appraiser may view and inspect your property more than once every 6 years due to market conditions and for quality control. | ||
| If I bought a house last year, should the value be the same as what I paid for it? | ||
| One sale by itself does not determine market value. A single sale may not represent the open market. The price you paid for your house is verified by the county appraiser and then considered along with sales of similar properties. The appraiser uses this information to appraise your home. | ||
| When will I be notified of the value of my property? | ||
| Notices of value are sent to the owner, as recorded in the register of deeds office, by March 1 for real property. | ||
| How can I determine if the appraisal of my home is accurate? | ||
| You can visit the county appraiser's office to review information on similar properties and verify that the information the appraiser's office has on your home is correct. If a neighbor has a similar house which recently sold, the sale price may also give you an indication of the value of your house. In addition, real estate professionals can provide information about market conditions in your area. | ||
| What can I do if I believe the value of my property is incorrect? | ||
| Use one of two ways to challenge the
value of your property: you may appeal the "notice of
value" of your property by contacting the county appraiser's
office by phone or in writing by 30 days from the date the notice
was mailed and by 15 days from date of notice for personal property, or you may fill out a "payment
under protest" form with the county treasurer at the time you
pay your taxes. Whether you pay half or all of your tax, you must
file by December 20th (unless an escrow or tax service agent pays your
property taxes, then no later than January 3lst). You cannot appeal using both methods for the same property in the same tax year. So, if you start to appeal your "notice of value," be sure that you follow through with the appeal. You will not be allowed to "pay under protest" later. If you are not satisfied with the results of your appeal at the county level, you may take your case to the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals. For more information on appeals, please contact your local county appraiser's office. |
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| How do I calculate the property taxes? | ||
| (1) Looking at your notice of value,
find the "appraised value" of your property. Multiply the
appraised value by the "assessment percentage" for your
property __________ (appraised value) times _______% (assessment percentage) = assessed value (2) Multiply the assessed value by your "mill levy" and then divide by 1,000 to estimate the property tax you owe. _________ (assessed value) times ________ (mill levy) divided by 1,000 = taxbill Contact your county clerk to find out what your mill levy is. |
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| What is the mill levy and how is it set? | ||
| The mill levy is the tax rate that is applied to the assessed value. In general terms, the mill levy is determined by dividing the dollars needed for local services by the assessed property value in the service area. An additional amount is then added for public schools. After the local government budgets are published and hearings are completed, the county clerk computes the final mill levies for each tax unit and certifies the tax roll to the county treasurer for collection. | ||
| Who pays the taxes due on property I sold or purchased? | ||
| Except for certain motor vehicles & watercraft,
property tax due on personal property is the responsibility
of the owner of record January 1 of each year. For real property, if not addressed in private contract, the buyer is responsible for the property tax if the property is sold on or after January 1 and before November 1. The seller is responsible for the property tax if purchased on or after November 1 and prior to January 1. (KSA 79-1805) Private contracts between buyer and seller will often specify who pays the taxes. |
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| Are property taxes prorated between buyer and seller? | ||
| Property is not prorated on the tax roll when acquired and is not prorated off the tax roll when disposed of (KSA 79-309). However, private contracts between buyers and sellers will often prorate the property tax. The only exceptions to this are for motor vehicles & watercraft, and when taxable property becomes exempt or exempt property becomes taxable. | ||