Assessment Appeals Board

TOWN OF OXFORD

BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS

ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Dear Taxpayer:

You have made a decision to appeal a property assessment.  The Board of Assessment Appeals would like to provide you with some information around the process for establishing a value.

Motor Vehicles

• The source document for valuing any vehicle (auto, recreational, etc.) is NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association).The NADA establishes a value for all makes and models and does take into consideration option packages (i.e. all wheel vs front wheel drive).

• The NADA does discount in some instances for excessive mileage

  • A reduced assessment may be granted in these instances.

• Wear and tear

  • The physical condition of your vehicle is not a consideration in applying a value as per the NDAA.

  • This means that a reduced assessment is not available if a vehicle has been poorly maintained

    Real Estate

• Real estate assessments are based on market value as of the most recent valuation

  • Revaluations occur every five years

  • Revaluations (where a physical review of the property is conducted) occur every ten years

• Market fluctuation in between these reviews does not impact an assessment even though the property has changed hands or similar properties are selling above or below the last assessed value.

• These same values are also used to assess improvements.If you put an addition on your home today, the new value will be based on the last assessment.

• Assessments are based on the square foot measurement of the outside dimensions of the structure rather than the number of interior rooms.

  Having considered how the town arrives at an assessed value, if you still have questions, the Assessor’s office is available to help you understand the details behind the information.  We suggest you first review the field card for real estate (available to you through Town Hall) and confirm all the descriptive information. For real estate you will look to confirm items such as number of bathrooms, fireplaces or out-buildings.  In the case of a vehicle you will want to confirm that the Year/Make/Model are all correct as this is supplied to the town by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. If you find an inconsistency or questions remain you can call the Assessor’s office or stop in to review.  In most instances a short discussion will resolve any issue and if a change in assessment is in order the Assessor has the authority to implement that change if a discrepancy is confirmed by the staff.

  Lastly, it is your right to appeal an assessment.  Meeting with the Assessor does not nullify your right to appeal and can be done concurrently.

  Town of Oxford

  Board of Assessment Appeals