How tax assessors appraise properties in counties

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Over time, buildings, homes, and facilities can either expand in size or stay the same.

That’s why every few years, the value of those properties must be re-assessed.

Every four years, tax assessments are made on commercial and residential properties throughout the county.

Winston County Tax Assessor Darlene Bane said the money from those taxes funds everything from schools to city and county budgets.

“It’s based on sales ratio. What has property been selling for in your area, what is the square footage, and the price of a square foot in a new home. If you’re buying a home that has had a previous owner and what the square footage was of the purchase price,” said Bane.

Banes said everything from minor changes to major additions has to be taken into account.

“We’re looking for improvements if someone has added a deck or a swimming pool or new construction or something of that sort, ” said Bane.

Appraisals are based on several categories including income, cost, sales, and location.

“If you have a community that’s got lots of benefits and is offering lots of things you have more people that are drawn to that community. Your supply and demand of your land and your homes drives the prices up,” said Bane.

Bane said one of the highest property value increases in the county came back in 2014.

“After the tornado, there were so many people that where hunting homes that things were selling left and right, so whatever you were asking for a home you were getting,” said Bane

The people who lost their homes in the storm are responsible for taxes on new construction on rebuilding their home on the same property.

Over the next couple of years, Bane and her appraisal team will develop their strategy to make sure every property is taken into account.

“We divide the four years, we have to cover 25% of the county each year and that way in a four year period we have covered 100% of the county,” said Bane

Bane said 2021 is marked as the fourth year to conduct tax assessments.

Categories: Local News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *