Florida Law requires that the just value of all property be determined each
year. The Supreme Court of Florida has declared "just value" to be legally
synonymous to "full cash value" and "fair market value". Determining the
just value of your property is a matter of discovering the most probable price
people would pay for it, in the shape it's in on January 1,
Florida's valuation date. That is the Property Appraiser's job.
However, it is no small task, nor a simple matter, since just value must be
determined for every piece of property in Charlotte County each year. In fact,
values must be established for over 210,000 individual tax
roll parcels, including thousands of acres of citrus, pasture, and
farmland, the buildings and improvements thereon, and thousands of tangible
personal property accounts.
In addition to appraising property, over 43,000 homestead exemptions, and
an additional 10,000 exemptions, including those granted for religious,
charitable, educational, or governmental use, as well as widow's, widower's and
disability must be administered. The appraiser's office also determines a
property's entitlement to agricultural classification.
To determine the just value of any property, the Property Appraiser must
first know what similar properties are selling for, the cost today to replace
any improvements on it, how much it takes to operate and keep them in repair,
the income it may earn, and many other facts affecting its value, such as the
current rate of interest charged for borrowing money to obtain a similar
property, either through purchase or construction. Utilizing those facts, the
property's value can be determined employing one or more of three different
methods.
The first is to find properties like yours which have recently sold. However,
their selling prices must be analyzed carefully to get the true picture. One
property may have sold for more than it was really worth because the buyer was
in a hurry to occupy it and would pay any price to get in. Another may have
sold for less than it was actually worth because the owner needed cash right,
away so was willing to sell to the first buyer making an offer. Using this
approach - comparing selling prices of properties similar to yours
- the Property Appraiser must always consider such over or under pricing to
arrive at a fair valuation of your property.
The second is based on how much money it would take, at current material and
labor costs, to replace your property with one just like it. If an improvement
is not new, the amount of depreciation must also be determined.
The final method is used in addition to the other two if you happen to own
property which does, or could, provide an income, such as an apartment complex,
retail store space, or office building. In that case, the Property Appraiser
must consider such facts as your revenue, operating expense, insurance,
maintenance cost, degree of financial risk incurred by owning the property, and
finally, the return most people would expect to receive on that kind of
property.
When market value changes, naturally so does appraised (just) value. For
instance, if you were to increase the total market value of your property by
building a swimming pool in your backyard, the appraised value will increase
proportionately. Similarly, should your property's value be decreased by
unrepaired fire or storm damage, the appraised value will decrease to reflect
the downward effect on your property's market value. In addition, the entire
community's economy, as well as the forces of supply and demand, will affect
your property's appraised value.
The Property Appraiser does not create this value. There is simply a legal
responsibility to determine it as it exists and value the property accordingly.
Buyers and sellers set value by their transactions in the market place.
Please direct questions concerning real property to this office at
rp@ccappraiser.com
or (941) 743-1498.
Section 193.155, F.S., limits annual increases in assessed value
on property receiving homestead exemption. Accordingly, "assessed value"
and "just (appraised) value" can differ substantially on
homestead properties.
In the year following the year in which the property receives homestead
exemption, any increase in assessed value, absent new construction, is limited
to three (3) percent, or the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index,
whichever is lower. Any ownership change of homestead property, except
those noted in Section 193.155, erases any limitation received due to "SOH",
since the property's assessed value must be restored to it's full market (just)
value the following January 1. Consequently, prospective
purchasers of homestead properties should base their estimate of future
property taxes on the current just (market) value, not assessed value. Properties
not receiving homestead exemption are not eligible for this limitation.
Only lands used for bona fide commercial agricultural purposes are eligible to
receive an agricultural classification. "Bona fide" agricultural purpose means
a good faith commercial agricultural use of the land.
Application must be made between January 1 and March 1 of the
tax year (Click here for Agricultural Clasification
Application). Agricultural classification cannot be granted to
lands not being used for bona fide commercial agricultural purposes.
If the owner of property receiving an agricultural classification applies for
and receives a homestead exemption on a portion of that property, the portion
receiving the homestead exemption (curtilage) cannot also receive an
agricultural classification. 193.155(6), F.S.
Please direct questions concerning agricultural classification to this
office at rp@ccappraiser.com
or (941) 743-1483.
The Property Appraiser is neither a Taxing Authority nor the Tax Collector and has nothing to do with the amount of taxes levied or collected. However, as a property owner, you are not only interested in what value the appraiser places on your property, but also in how the amount of taxes you pay is determined.
This is the way it works:
Let's say the Property Appraiser has found the assessed value
of your home to be $75,000. You apply for and receive the homestead exemption,
so $25,000 is deducted from your assessed value, leaving a taxable value of
$50,000 (due to "Save Our Homes" requirements your property's just value could
be greater than or equal to assessed value).
Now, let's assume that the tax rate in your community has been set by the
Taxing Authorities (city, county commission, school board, special districts,
etc.) at 15 mills. That's $15.00 in taxes for each $1,000 of taxable value.
Divide your property's taxable value, $50,000 by $1,000 and the answer is 50.
Multiply that by the tax rate, $15.00.
$15.00 x 50 = $750.00
That is the amount of "ad valorem" tax due on your home. Your total
tax bill may also include non "ad valorem" assessments for services such as
garbage collection, road maintenance, and fire protection. Discounts are
allowed for prompt payment. If paid in November 4%, December 3%, January 2%,
February 1%.
If your opinion of your property's value differs from the Property Appraiser's, by all means please come in and discuss the matter with us. If you have evidence that our appraisal is more than the actual fair market value of your property on the preceding January 1 appraisal date, we will welcome the opportunity to review all pertinent facts.
After speaking with us, if you still find a significant difference between our
appraisal and what you feel your property's market value is, you may request a
hearing before the Value Adjustment Board. A written petition must be filed
with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, acting as Clerk of the Value Adjustment
Board, during the appropriate filing period, usually late August-early
September. Petitions may be obtained at this
site or from the Property Appraiser.
The Value Adjustment Board's function is to hear evidence concerning whether or
not properties called to their attention are appraised at more or less than
their just value on the previous January 1.
The Board also hears appeals of exemption and classified value denial.
The Property Appraiser and staff are at the public's service and will be glad to
assist in all matters pertaining to appraisal and exemptions in Charlotte
County.
The Property Appraiser's Office is your office. Please feel free at all times
to visit and examine our public records.
Copyright © 1997-2008 Charlotte County Property
Appraiser. All rights reserved.
This page last modified on: August 1, 2003
