Orange County Launches New Real Estate Assessment Department
By: Orange County Communications
Orange County is pleased to announce a new Real Estate Assessment Department! This new department will serve our residents by conducting annual assessments on real estate in Orange County.
This arrangement is new to Orange County, but those originally from other localities may be familiar with departments that serve this purpose. This departments is sometimes known as an Assessor ’ s Office, or a City (or County) Assessor. Previously, the County contracted assessment services, and assessments were conducted every four years. With the establishment of this department, it will no longer be necessary to have an outside company conduct these property evaluations. Having an in - house department devoted to this purpose benefits our residents in several ways.
1. Conducting annual assessments, rather than just one every four years, will better align assessed property values to the true market value. This prevents situations where a property is assessed at a high value during a market upswing, then remains at that value, even after the market corrects, until another assessment is conducted. 2. Those with questions about their assessments will be better served by a dedicated department providing direct customer service. As a permanent fixture of the County, the Real Estate Assessment Department will have a greater connection to our residents than a temporary contractor. 3. Bringing assessed values closer to true market values provides benefits in terms of state funding for the County and the school system, which are often distributed based on a localities ’ assessed values.
4. Adoption and constant review of improved technology will create more efficient assessments.
The new Director of the Real Estate Assessment Department, Mr. Charles Haney, was introduced to the Board of Supervisors at their April 9 meeting. He is excited about the “ prospect of starting a totally new department, and using modern techniques to bring assessed values in line with the market. ” With him, he brings over 30 years of experience in the field. Mr. Haney is very familiar with the area and the real estate landscape. He grew up in nearby Albemarle County, and previously served in Albemarle, Charlottesville, and Staunton. Stay tuned for more information about the activities of the Real Estate Assessment Department. Those with questions should contact Mr. Haney at chaney@orangecountyva.gov.
Page 2 | April 2024
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