Reassessment appeals begin for Pittsylvania County property owners

The reassessment appeals process for property owners in Pittsylvania County began Monday and options are available for those who contend their real estate was assessed too high or too low.

Owners who disagree with the results of the property reassessments can call the Pittsylvania County Reassessment Office at 18 Depot St. in Chatham at (434) 432-7816. Property owners can schedule an appointment to discuss their reassessment with an assessor in person or arrange for someone at the office to call back later to talk, said Don Thomas, vice president of field operations at Wingate and Associates, the county’s assessor.

Wingate and Associates performed the assessments from late 2008 to early this month. The county’s overall assessment increased 8.7 percent from four years ago, factoring in taxable and tax-exempt parcels. The county’s value went from $4.3 billion when last assessed in 2005 to $4.6 billion this year.

Wingate assessed 49,113 taxable and tax-exempt parcels in Pittsylvania County. Overall value of taxable property in the county was about $4.2 billion.

Wingate can make changes if the property owner can prove the market value is above or below the assessor’s findings, Thomas said. The reassessment office has listings of all properties across the county.

Appeals began Monday and will last through Dec. 11. Walk-ins are welcome or callers can make appointments, Thomas said.

“It’s an opportunity for the property owner to bring to our attention details we may not know,” Thomas said.

  The county reassessment office works with the Pittsylvania County Board of Assessors, who oversees the assessment’s results, Thomas said. Property owners can request the board’s presence during the appeal or meet only with assessors. If the owner is dissatisfied with the board’s decision, he or she can take the matter to the Board of Equalization, Thomas said.

The equalization board meets after the first of the next year to hear cases that did not come before the assessors or failed to satisfy the owner, Thomas said. The board aims to ensure that like properties are assessed similarly, Thomas said.

If the owner still isn’t pleased, the third step is to take the case to Pittsylvania County Circuit Court.

“Every property owner has the right to appeal their (assessment) in court if they choose,” Thomas said.

Owners can bypass the reassessment office and the Board of Assessors go straight to the Board of Equalization if they choose, Thomas said. 

Wingate and Associates performs assessments for Pittsylvania County, which is required by state law to have property re-assessments every four years. This year’s re-assessment will take effect in 2010 and determine how much county real-estate tax property owners will pay.

When evaluating a property, Wingate’s staff takes into account a building’s condition, construction cost and quality, location and proximity to amenities such as shopping centers or schools. 

The board of supervisors sets the real-estate tax rate. If overall property values increase more than 1 percent, state law mandates that the board of supervisors advertise a tax-rate hike and hold a public hearing.

Thomas said complaints from property owners usually follow reassessments.

“That’s not an uncommon thing for reassessments,” Thomas said last week. The board includes Bobby Gene Atkinson, Clyde Burnette, Jack Miller and John C. Blair.