The appraisal process involves setting standards for fair and equitable values, discovering and listing information about properties, and determining property values. Values are then analyzed to ensure they meet the standards of fair assessment, and are then certified to the County Clerk.
Collection of Information
The first step in the appraisal process is to gather information on ownership, location, type of use, sales, building measurement, construction type, construction costs and rental income. Primary sources for this information are real property deeds, subdivision maps, building permits, local building contractors and office personnel who conduct on-site inspections to gather land and building characteristics. This information is stored, updated, and maintained by the County Appraiser, for current and future use in the appraisal process.
Appraisal / Estimating Value
The County Appraiser is required to equitably value all property in the county according to current Kansas law. The actual value assigned to residential properties is based on market value as of January 1st of the current year.
For most properties, comparable sales information, depreciated replacement construction costs, and the income approach to value are considered.
A property’s value may alter over time. An addition of a garage, family room, bedroom, etc., or extensive remodeling or modernization could increase the value. Property values may fluctuate due to the local economy. The economy of the entire community could affect the market value of your property negatively or positively.
State statutes require that all properties be physically inspected and re-measured by the appraiser's office at least once in a six (6) year period.
New Construction & Corrections
For each parcel of land, improvements such as buildings must be measured and described through an on-site inspection. This helps ensure that all new construction and/or changes to existing improvements are discovered and errors corrected. Under Kansas statutes, all real property is valued annually.