#Middlebury #Revaluation #VisionGovernmentSolutions
By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
The revaluation of all real estate in Middlebury – commercial, residential and vacant land – has begun. State statute requires it be done every five years, and properties last were revalued in 2016. Middlebury Assessor Chris Kelsey said property values during the 2016 revaluation stayed relatively flat. That’s because it covered 2011 to 2016, and property values hadn’t fully recovered from the real estate bubble bursting in 2008.
Now the COVID-19 epidemic is affecting property values, with some reports saying they have increased 30% in Middlebury. The epidemic has prompted people to move away from more densely populated areas to less densely populated areas like Middlebury.
Kelsey said if the revaluation were effective right now, owners would see an increase in their property values. However, the revaluation will be as of October 1, 2021. Kelsey said the real estate market has been so volatile over the past 9 months that he is not comfortable predicting the effect it will have on values months in the future.
The revaluation is being conducted by Vision Government Solutions, and the first step in the process is collecting current information on Middlebury properties. Kelsey said Residential Data Verification Reports started hitting people’s mailboxes February 19, and he already has gotten some back. Property owners are asked to review the information on the forms and make any necessary corrections.
All forms need to be signed and returned, whether they have corrections or not. Any property owner who doesn’t receive a form needs to call Kelsey at 203-758-1447.
The next step in the process ordinarily would be interior inspections, but the COVID-19 pandemic has halted them. The town announced it continues to actively monitor the evolving health situation regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus) and is deeply committed to the continued health and safety of its residents.
Based on the recommended social distancing protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control, the town will delay interior inspections until it is deemed safe to resume these procedures. This approach accomplishes the goal of ensuring the utmost safety of both residents and data collectors by aligning with the social distancing protocols that are recommended at the federal and state level.
To ensure continued accuracy in data, data collectors will go to each property and physically inspect the exterior only to verify the measurements of each building as needed. The data collector will note a building’s size, condition, quality of construction, improvements, topography, utilities, and numerous other characteristics. Data collectors will not enter any structure.
Data collectors generally work between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They will be wearing identification badges and will have written documentation from the town stating they are affiliated with the project. Vision representatives and their vehicles also are registered with the police department. If a homeowner has a question as to the identity of a data collector, they may call the police department or the assessor for further confirmation.
Kelsey said homeowners with specific questions regarding their current assessment should contact him as Vision Government Solutions data collectors are not prepared to answer questions concerning current values or town policies.
He said the most common questions he is asked relate to basement improvements and whether or not those improvements make the space a room that is assessed. The data verification form lists items that cause assessors to consider it a finished basement, among them finished walls, flooring or ceilings and heat, including wood stoves.
People also ask about swimming pools. An above-ground pool is not taxed, but an in-ground pool is taxed. When it comes to outbuildings, a shed that measures 8′ by 8′ or larger is taxed; a smaller shed is not.
Each property’s value will be set as of October 1, 2021, but the value will be finalized after that date, and notices to property owners will go out in December. Property owners will be able to appeal the new valuation, first informally to the revaluation company. Then, if the issue can’t be resolved, they have until February 20, 2022, to formally appeal to the Board of Assessment Appeals.
For any questions, please call Chris Kelsey at 203-758-1447 or email him at ckelsey@middlebury-ct.org.
