The Tax Assessor’s Office and Vision Appraisal Technology Inc. will begin gathering data from residents and businesses this month for a state mandated revaluation for the town’s July 2011 grand list.
The state requires revaluation every five years along with interior and exterior inspections every 10 years.
In Oxford, this round of revaluations will include interior and exterior inspections, officials said.
The town signed a contract with Vision Appraisal Technology Inc. of Massachusetts on Oct. 1 for $268,000 to assist with data gathering and the revaluation process.
During a presentation to the Board of Selectman last week, Dave Arnold, Vision Appraisal Inc. representative, said the inspections would take place on all homes, businesses and tax exempt organizations during the next year.
Arnold said licensed inspectors registered with the town and the police department would be in the field measuring homes, barns, sheds and garages.
Arnold said residents would be receiving pre-inspection letters in the mail from Vision Appraisal explaining the process.
Inspectors will also be “knocking on doors,” requesting to enter homes to count bedrooms, bathrooms, types of heating and flooring, and look for areas of depreciation.
If inspectors are unable to contact the resident, Vision Appraisal would send a letter with a toll free phone number requesting the homeowner make an appointment.
Arnold said although residents are not required to allow inspectors into their homes, it might be a good idea to have a fair assessment.
“It is in the homeowner’s best interest to get an appraisal done,” he said. “We will make this as convenient as possible.”
Commercial and industrial properties would also be receiving forms from the town requesting income and expense statements along with vacancy information.
Arnold said revaluation would take place in the spring and examine home sales from October 2008 to Oct 2010.
“Analysis of those sales will be the basis of revaluation,” he said.
Next summer inspectors will be reviewing information to finalize the revaluation by October 2010.
Tax Assessor Eva Lintzner said following that review, her office would be sending out notices with re-assessments to homeowners.
Lintzner said residents have the right to appeal their assessment, and will receive a letter with their assessment to call with any questions.
Lintzner added that if residents choose to appeal the tax assessor’s findings, they could also go before the Board of Assessment Appeals in February 2011.
“I recommend residents talk to my office and Vision Appraisal with any questions,” she said.
Residents with any questions about revaluation process should call the tax assessor’s office at (203) 888‑5423, ext. 3.
