Beginning as early as next Monday, the Carroll County Assessor’s Office will begin mailing out the 2021 property assessment notices for rural properties. This will be followed with assessments for residential, commercial and industrial owners beginning on April 1. According to the Assessor, Cindy Heuton, these notices are distributed to inform property owners of the estimated market value of their improvements and these values should not be confused with taxable value or the tax bill. Ag land values are based on productivity. Over the past two years, Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. of Cedar Rapids has been inspecting rural properties throughout the county. The information collected was then subjected to a sales analysis and review before values were finalized. Property owners will be given the opportunity to meet with representatives of Vanguard Appraisals beginning on March 22. During these meetings, property owners can submit any information that may affect the market value. Appointments can be scheduled, but must be done before March 15 by calling the assessor’s office at 712-792-9973. It has been almost 25 years since the last reappraisal of these properties and was done this time to develop current, equalized assessed values since not all properties have decreased or increased at the same time since 1997. Property owners who disagree with new values must be prepared to state their estimate of market value and present supporting evidence. Assessments will not be adjusted based solely on owner objections to increased assessed values.
