Fayette Property

Frequently Asked Questions

General Assessment Questions

What is a property revaluation project?
Why does property have to be assessed?
What is an assessment?
What is market value?
What causes market value to change?
How will I know if my assessment is correct?
What evidence do I need if I decide to make a formal appeal to the Board of Assessments?
What is an assessor's role?
What will happen to my assessment if I improve my property?
Will my assessment go up if I repair my property?
How can my assessment change when I haven't done anything to my property?
Do all assessments change at the same rate?
I have just seen the disclaimer, why can I not rely on the information on the website?
How long will it take until I can rely fully on the website again?
If I find a discrepancy, what information should I have in hand when I call the Department?
What other information is helpful when I call?
Who should I ask for when I call?

General Assessment Questions

What is a property revaluation project?

Property revaluation is a systematic review of all real estate within the county for the purpose of setting fair market values as of a specific point in time. During a revaluation, every property is examined and adjustments are made to county records to be sure that all property is assessed at market value. Revaluation in Pennsylvania is done only on a county-wide basis.

Why does property have to be assessed?

Under Pennsylvania law, property taxes are the primary source of revenue for county and municipal governments and school districts. Property taxes, which are calculated using the assessed values and millage rates set by local government authorities, fund critical services including public safety (fire, police, and ambulance), education, corrections, the court system, public health programs, and human service programs.

What is an assessment?

An assessment is a fractional portion of the fair market value of your property. In Pennsylvania, the County may choose an assessment ratio from 1% up to 100% of market value. Fayette County recently changed its ratio from 35% to 100% for the 2001 fiscal year. This was intended to make it simpler for the property owner to understand. A property owner can now look at his or her statement and see exactly the value placed on the property by the County.

What is market value?

According to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, market value is defined as "the most probable price which a property should bring in a competitive and open market under all conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller, each acting prudently and knowledgeably, and assuming the price is not affected by undue stimulus. Implicit in this definition is the consummation of a sale as of a specified date and the passing of title from seller to buyer under conditions whereby: 1. Buyer and seller are typically motivated; 2. Both parties are well informed or well advised, and acting in what they consider their own best interests; 3. A reasonable time is allowed for exposure in the open market; 4. Payment is made in terms of cash in U.S. dollars or in terms of financial arrangements comparable thereto; and 5. The price represents the normal consideration for the property sold unaffected by special or creative financing or sales concessions granted by anyone associated with the sale."

What causes market value to change?

Time and inflation (or deflation) are the primary reasons for market value to change, but there are other reasons as well. For example, if a major industry leaves an area, property values can decline. On the other hand, when transitional neighborhoods are discovered by young homeowners, values may increase quickly as these areas become more popular. Even with no extraordinary pressure in the marketplace, inflation alone may increase property values. In the forty-plus years since Fayette's last property valuation, the market values have changed many times.

How will I know if my assessment is correct?

You should first try to decide for yourself what your property is worth. Look at area sales, contact appraisers, and compare assessments of similar homes.

What evidence do I need if I decide to make a formal appeal to the Board of Assessments?

State law puts the burden of proof on the property owner to show that the assessment is incorrect. Your evidence must be strong enough to prove that the assessor's value is incorrect. Only relevant testimony given at the hearing will be considered by the Board. Stating that property taxes are too high is not relevant testimony.

You should establish in your own mind what you think your property is worth. The best evidence for this would be recent sales prices for properties similar to yours. The closer in proximity and similarity, the better the evidence. Another type of evidence is oral testimony from a witness who has made a recent appraisal of your property. If your home has a structural problem or some other deficiency (such as mine subsidence damage) that would affect its market value, collect documents such as repair estimates or photographs and take the information with you.

What is an assessor's role?

The assessor's duties are to discover, list, and place a value on all taxable real property in the county in a uniform manner. The assessor is not involved in collecting property taxes. The assessor does not create a value, but rather interprets what is happening in the marketplace.

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
Substantial kitchen or bath modernization
Central air conditioning
Fireplaces
Extensive remodeling

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 the roof
Repairing porches and steps
Repairing original siding
Patching or repairing interior walls and ceilings
Exterior painting
Replacing electrical fixtures
Replacing exterior awnings and shutters
Adding or replacing weather stripping on screens, windows, and doors
Adding or upgrading landscaping, including lawns, shrubbery, trees, and flowers

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.

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 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.

I have just seen the disclaimer, why can I not rely on the information on the website?

The software used to create the database from which website information is drawn is rather dated. Increasingly, it blocks changes to an expanding number of fields thus locking in dated and inaccurate information. We are in the process of reprogramming the website to draw the information for these fields from another database for which the software is newer and does not create these problems. This will ensure greater accuracy and more up to date information. Until that reprogramming is complete, it is highly advised that you not use or rely on any of the information contained on the site.

How long will it take until I can rely fully on the website again?

At this point, we do not know how long the reprogramming will take. Even when the reprogramming is complete, it is best to confirm what you take from the website by comparing it to the data on your tax bill. If there are discrepancies between what is on the website and what is on your tax bill, it is suggested you call the Department of Assessment for clarification.

If I find a discrepancy, what information should I have in hand when I call the Department?

To facilitate a response to your call, you should have the Parcel Number, the Parcel Address, the Mailing Address and the current Owner of Record available when you call.

What other information is helpful when I call?

It is helpful to be able to note which website fields you find to be inaccurate. Is it the parcel location you feel is inaccurate? Is it the owner information? The mailing address? The description of what is being assessed? The acreage listed? Any pictures shown? Any sketch show? Or is it an overall disagreement with the assessed value on your property? Being able to pinpoint in the first thirty seconds of the call precisely what you are calling about will speed resolution of the matter immensely.

Who should I ask for when I call?

That depends on the issue you are calling about? If the discrepancy you are calling about pertains to the Owner of Record, the Address of the Parcel or the Mailing Address, ask for either Terri Ometz (Ext 4106) or Stephanie Conway (Ext 4119). If the issue concerns the acreage or how the parcel is mapped on the website, ask for the Mapping Desk (Ext 4118). If the issue concerns the structures or improvements listed on the parcel, hit either Extension 4106 or 4119 and ask to be connected to the Assessor of the Day. If you have a problem with the sketch of the dwelling or the picture(s) posted for a parcel, hit Extension 4106 or 4119 and ask for the Assessor of the Day. If you simply disagree with the assessed value for your parcel, hit Extension 4106 and ask to have an appeal application mailed to you. Sometimes it helps when you dispute the value to speak to the Assessor of the Day before filing an appeal. If you wish to speak to the Assessor of the day, hit Extension 4106 or 4119 and ask to be connected to the Assessor of the Day.