FAQs

The assessor is a State certified individual whose duties are to discover, list, and place a value on all taxable real property in the city, in a uniform manner. The assessor is not involved in the collection of property taxes.

You have the right to refuse entry into your residence pursuant to section 70.05 (4m) of the Wisconsin Statues. Entry to view your property is prohibited unless voluntarily authorized by you. Pursuant to section 70.05 (4m) of the Wisconsin statutes, you have the right to refuse a visual inspection of the interior of your residence and your refusal to allow an interior inspection of your residence will not be used as the sole reason for increasing your property tax assessment. Refusing entry to your residence also does not prohibit you from objecting to your assessment pursuant to section 70.47 (7) of the Wisconsin statues. 

It is your responsibility to contact the assessor’s office if you wish to refuse a visual inspection of the interior of your residence.

Wisconsin law requires that property assessments be based on fair market value. Estimating the market value of your property is a matter of determining the price a typical buyer would pay for it in its present condition. Some factors the assessor considers are what similar properties are selling for, what it would cost to replace your property, the rent it may earn, and any other factors that affect value. It is important to remember the assessor does not create this value, but rather interprets what is happening in the market.

During a revaluation year, the assessor reviews the information about your house and compares this to other houses like yours that recently sold. The assessor then makes adjustments to the sale prices to account for the differences between those houses and yours to come up with an estimate of the market value of your house. During a maintenance year, the assessor maintains the assessment that was applied during the most recent revaluation year and makes adjustments for any changes that have been made to the property.

Fair market value is the amount the property will sell for in an arms-length transaction on the open market between a willing seller not obliged to sell the property and a willing buyer not obliged to purchase it.

Fair Market Value is calculated by dividing the Total Assessed Value by the Average Assessment Ratio. Property taxes are levied on the Total Assessed Value, not the Total Estimated Fair Market Value.

They calculate how much it would cost to build a new house exactly like the one we are appraising. Then they consider its age and condition in estimating how much difference there should be between that house as it currently stands as opposed to it being brand new. They express that difference in dollars and subtract it from the new cost. Then they add that amount to what they think the land is worth to come up with an estimate of the total property value.

Because the assessor places a value on many properties at a time instead of one at a time, they use computers for some of the analysis. The computer is used as a tool, but the value of each property is carefully reviewed by the assessor.

To make a sound decision, you first must decide for yourself what your property is worth. Purchase price is usually the best evidence of market value if you have recently purchased the property and the sale is arm’s length. Sale price of other property comparable to yours is the next best evidence of market value.  A recent professionally prepared appraisal is also a reasonable estimate of market value.  

Assessment information is available on our website.  Additional questions and information can be reviewed in the Wisconsin Department of Revenue publication Guide for Property Owners.

An appraiser values one property at a time. A property tax assessor values every residential property in their city, town or village. This is called mass appraisal. Both financial appraisers and property tax assessors are responsible for estimating the amount someone could expect to sell each of those houses if they were put on the market.

To make a proper assessment of a dwelling or other building, it is desirable for the assessor to see the inside and the outside of the property. The law requires that property be valued from actual view or the best information available. The assessor’s office has a vast amount of historical records on the physical characteristics of each property in the municipality. Even though the assessor may have been unable to go through your property, the assessment will still be reviewed, based on the existing records and the sales of similar properties.

No. You have the right to refuse entry into your residence pursuant to section 70.05 (4m) of the Wisconsin Statutes and a refusal of entry will not be used as the sole reason for increasing your property tax assessment. When an interior inspection is unavailable or not allowed, the assessor will attempt to update the records by looking at the property from the outside and using any other available information. To ensure an accurate assessment, it is to your advantage to allow the assessor inside your property when an inspection is requested.

Generally speaking, improvements that increase the market value of a property will increase the assessed value. The following are some typical items that will increase the assessed value of your property:

• Adding or expanding sunrooms, rec rooms, etc
• Substantially modernizing kitchens or baths
• Extensively remodeling or updating interior
• Adding central air conditioning
• Updating windows, siding, roof
• Adding garages, sheds, or other out buildings
• Adding fireplaces, decks, porches, patios, etc

The City of Neenah Assessor’s Office revalues all property on a quasi-cyclical nature to keep pace with changes in the market, as dictated by Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 70. The City must maintain its assessed values within 10% of true full market value within a specified time period. During a revaluation year, all assessments are examined and adjustments are made where necessary to guarantee that all properties are assessed at market value. This is done to assure that taxes are distributed equitably and uniformly.

There are differences between individual properties and between neighborhoods. In one area, the sales may indicate a substantial increase in value in a given year. In another neighborhood there may be no change in value, or even possibly a decrease in property values. Different types of properties within the same neighborhood may also show different value changes. For example, one-story houses may be more in demand than two-story houses, or vice-versa. Older homes in the same area may be rising in value more slowly than newer homes. There are numerous factors to be considered in each property that will cause the values to differ. Some of the factors that can affect value are location, condition, size, quality, number of baths, basement finish, garages, and many others.

Wisconsin law requires that whenever an assessment is changed the owner must be notified. However, failure to receive a notice does not affect the validity of the changed assessment.

Commercial property is different because people buying that kind of property want to earn money from it. An assessor compares the amount people earn from renting out that property to the amount it sells for and use that comparison to value other similar property.