| Author |
Message |
    
Lseltzer
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 1:20 pm: |     |
I remember from before the reval that the letter said that they would come by, if I wasn't around they would arrange to come by again, if they couldn't get in they would assess the house based on what they knew of similar houses in the area.
So in such a case what would the property record card say? Is there any record of how many times this happened? |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 1:41 pm: | |
You bring up a very valid point. Things like number of rooms and baths, etc. should be on the record already, and since we all get permits for everything we do, there should be little change. Actually, we can blame it on the prior owners who changed something and didn't notify the town. :-)
They'd have no way of knowing any changes that they weren't notified of. For example, if you change type of heating, do you need a permit, and does one notify the town? Maybe in the case of changing from oil to gas and the decommissioning they'd know, but what if you change from furnace to boiler or vice-versa?
Do they still come onto the property to measure new patios, porches, sheds and decks, even when the homeowner isn't there? Is it even legal to do so, i.e. is it considered trespassing? |
Tomr
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 1:54 pm: | |
Lseltzer,
"...If the valuation has to be made on the basis of an estimate because the field appraiser cannot gain entry, the law provides that a property can be assessed at the highest possible value..."
E. Galante
February 17, 2000
I understood Mr. Galante to mean that if a homeowner didn't let an appraiser in, that the property could be assumed to have finished basements, attics, max number of baths, etc.
I would hope that we will not hear from a great number of homeowners who didn't provide access, but now think it unreasonable that the appraisal report is incorrect.
TomR. |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 2:19 pm: | |
TomR -- I reported here two weeks ago that someone on the jitney was home when CV arrived, but refused to let them in. Now she's challenging her assessment.
I hope this practice wasn't common. |
Tomr
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 2:22 pm: | |
I love America. Where else can you help cause a problem and then blame it on the other guy.
TomR. |
Nakaille
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - 6:05 pm: | |
Just to get a new furnace of the same type (boiler for steam heat) I had to get a permit and it had to be inspected so I think that stuff is all on record if the contractor and the owner play by the rules.
Bacata |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2001 - 9:10 am: | |
Bacata, you always struck as me as a woman with integrity!
I wonder how many changes were "caught" during this revaluation, especially those down by do-it-yourselfers.
Bacata, I will need to replace the boiler sometime over the next year with one that's more efficient. Do you or anyone else know if I need a permit for this type of work? Most of the plumbing will stay intact, but I assume the connections to the new boiler would be new. |
Nakaille
| | Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2001 - 10:45 am: | |
The plumber I contracted with informed me of the need for the permit and did the legwork. I just provided the fee and scheduled an appt with the inspector when the work was done. My guess is you will need a permit. BTW: NJ law says (and it's on the work permit) that you are not supposed to make the final payment until the work has been inspected and approved. This was actually very helpful to us since the work was not done well initially and the pipes had to be completely reconfigured. Some work done by owners themselves doesn't need a permit, in my limited understanding of these things. I have no idea what kinds or scope of work that might include but I think some electrical stuff falls under that. I could be wrong. Anyone else know?
Bacata |
Teach66
| | Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2001 - 11:11 am: | |
I waited all day for the appraiser to show up on the appointed day - and he/she never did!! I am getting a 70% increase. I don't know if this is good or bad because I think my house looks better on the inside than out. However the appraiser may have thought differently. Who knows the appraiser may have had the opportunity to look out my windows and decide that I have a view - or may have looked out and decided there was an awful lot of traffic. Seems to me that there's a lot of arbitrary decisions being made and whoever makes the best argument wins! |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2001 - 11:26 am: | |
Teach -- in your situation, they are entitled to use the highest price if they can't get in. Now, whether or not they're entitled to do so when they didn't make their appointment is probably not legal, but ethically, I don't think it's right. Do you have one of the higher classes (i.e. above 16), and are your kitchen and bathrooms listed as average or modern? |
Teach66
| | Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2001 - 3:33 pm: | |
I don't know what "I have". Again, CV did not show so it wasn't me not letting them in. I'm afraid to find out what I have or where I'm at because I don't want to get flushed into this mess! Just look at all these postings - numbers, adjustments, revisions, charts, phase-ins, reassessments, just the words that are used lead to the underlying word: "mistakes". I am not a math person and I don't understand half of the numbers or the charts. I refuse to spend inordinate amounts of time at town hall or at workshops to try and understand my taxes - nor do I believe this is what I should be doing. As a matter of fact I am even surprising myself that I am spending time conversing with people that I don't know on this board, but I see it as a good "venting" mechanism. (I am also getting a good feel for the leadership in this town.) Thanks for trying to help me out, Njjoseph, but I have to tell you that none of this makes sense. |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2001 - 3:44 pm: | |
O.K. Teach. go to Town Hall ASAP and get your property card. Then watch the re-runs of the workshop held last night.
If you still don't understand, let me know and I'll be glad to help.
Unfortunately, while I feel sorry for anyone whose assessment causes a great tax burden, I don't think it's right for anyone to complain or to challenge their assessments until they obtain and review the property card. |
Nursie
| | Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2001 - 3:58 pm: | |
Since this seems to be the most active thread I will post this question here in the event someone might know the answer. Do we need to submit a copy of our propery data card in the letter of request for assessment review , even though the township has thier own copy? |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2001 - 4:01 pm: | |
I don't think you need to, technically, but it wouldn't hurt to send a copy anyway. If I had revisions to send them, I might even circle items on the property card. |
Maggie
| | Posted on Thursday, February 8, 2001 - 4:03 pm: | |
Nursie
I included a copy of my property card, but it was just for the sake of completeness, since I referenced it in my letter. I don't imagine that it is necessary, though. |
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