Sigh ... Of course counties "evaluate properties for taxes." The process is called "assessment," and it is usually performed by one or more employees in the local County Assessor's office. But property owners have a role in the process. At least they do in California. Property owners are supposed to submit information concerning the Property in order to assist the County Assessor in reassessing the value of the Property. In California at least, real property is reassessed on two occasions: when there is a "change of ownership" or when the property is "substantially improved." In both cases, the property owner is required to submit forms that provide the requisite information.
Florida's assessment process is obviously a little different from California's, but I am pretty sure that the property owner likewise has to submit information concerning the property in question, as well as information concerning the sale or other disposition of the property. That is when the brouhaha about Trump's valuation of Mar a Lago arose. You say he has zero to do with property assessment? The forms which are submitted typically MUST be signed by the property owner, and usually under penalty of perjury. Trump was the owner of Mar a Lago, no? (Even if he owned it through the medium of a legal entity (e.g., corporation, partnership, LLC, or trust) he would have to sign as CEO, managing partner, manager, or Trustee of such entity).
I own several different parcels of real property. I also practice real estate law. So I know a little bit about this subject. Obviously not as much as you do, but who could hope to match your omniscience when it comes to real property tax assessment, or anything else?
Trying to clean up on ails 1 I guess
Just accept it that Trump does not get a choice in setting his assessed property valuations
OK, I just learned something. I have lived in 3 states just over the last few years (own multiple properties) have made improvements in each and have never had a state/county send me a document asking for information on the property. one of those states is Florida, different county though
OK Ned since I judge you to be an open minded person let me add to the educational process based on my life experienced.
My family including in-laws and such have multiple plots of taxable and tax exempt properties over multiple years like 70 and we have bought, sold, rented, improved, developed, maintained with the number of deeds exceeding 1000’s with the states being many including paying taxes in multiple states including Florida including Fort Lauderdale and Tampa with the majority being in South Carolina.
We borrowed money on the properties, paid cash, did exotic swap deals, traded land for land, sold and bought properties using valuations either paying buyer or seller asking price, paying tax valuation, paying professional appraisal valuation with every transaction paying the stamp taxes and other fees.
As of today fo share a personal fun story my wife inherited two small lots from my father in law that he bought one night when I was dating his daughter somewhere around 1965 for $250.
He told me he just bought them for fun. Had too much money and needed to put it somewhere.
So when he passed while the estate was in trust my wife didn’t want two small lots in Lakeland Florida so she tried to donate or sell them. No luck. So after the trust and probate was settled she got this two 3/4 acre lots. Years pass and these two lots bought for $250 now have people calling and asking her if they can buy them. Last effort was $75,000.00 each. To her credit I tell that just keep them and give them to our grandchildren when they are ready for college and then let them sell them to pay for college.
On your being in the military my son and I with me being the lazy one bought and remodeled and rented houses particularly of military members in Charleston and Columbia SC where in many cases they would a house and then get stuck when they moved to a new base. Worked pretty good on flipping for a capital gain but not as well on renting for us. Don’t do that any more.
Anyway with all that explanation I must say that I have no dam idea and don’t what the hell
@LafayetteBear is talking about where they ask the property owner to answer question.
The only things I get for property evaluations from the tax assessor is the te-evaluation notices and a tax due notice from the County Treasurer.
Don’t feel like I am missing anything and again it would be interesting to know what I have been missing in real estate as I am clueless on the mystery of county governments asking the property owners to help assess their property.
OVER AND OUT