Show All Answers

1. How do I find my current property value?

You may check online on the Jasper County Assessor Data Usage Disclaimer.

2. Do I need to sign for homestead every year?

No, you only have to sign again for homestead if you move from the current home that has homestead into another home.

3. If I am a veteran and have been honorably discharged, what do I need to do to sign up for military exemption?

Your DD214 - discharge papers need to be recorded in our Recorder's Office, then sign the military exemption form in the Assessor's Office.

4. How does the assessor know if I have had home improvements on the inside of my property?

The assessor finds out these changes through building permits that are filed with the local city hall or the county and through property owners notifying us of an improvement.

5. If I purchased a home on foreclosure, should my assessed value change?

According to State Law, foreclosures are not considered to be "good" sales and are not used to determine the assessed value. They are considered to be a "forced" sale, in which the bank was forced to sell the home. If the foreclosed property was not left in normal condition, you may consider notifying the Assessor's Office so that an appraiser may walk through the home to determine the value.

6. What factors will change my assessed value?

Several factors can change the value of your assessment. Home  improvements, such as building a garage, building a deck, kitchen or bathroom remodeling, finishing the basement, etc., may change the  assessed value of the home. Supply and demand may also change the value.

7. What is market value?

Market value of a property is an estimate of the price that it would  sell for on the open market on January 1st of the year of assessment. This is sometimes referred to as the "arms length transaction" or  "willing buyer/willing seller" concept.

8. How does the Assessor determine market value?

See the How the Assessor Determines Market Value page for more information.

9. My assessment information is incorrect. For example, the website says that I have a finished basement and my basement is not finished, how do I correct that?

If you find that there are inaccuracies with your assessment, please contact the Assessor's Office at the Jasper County Courthouse. The assessor will review it and determine if the changes need to be made. An appraiser from the assessor's office may need to walk through the property to obtain accurate data.

10. How often is my home reassessed?

The State of Iowa requires that all real property be reassessed every two years on the odd numbered year. At that time, studies of current market value, sales ratios and economic trends of the local market will  determine whether your assessment should change. If your property has  any other change it may be reassessed more often. For example, if you  build a new garage, it will be assessed for the following year whether it is an odd number year or not.

11. Doesn't the Assessor raise my value according to the amount of taxes needed?

No, the Assessor raises or lowers the values of property according to the market value of real estate or in the case of agricultural land, according to productivity and CSR.

Assessments are set January 1st of each year, while the tax levies (tax rates) on these assessments are not set until July of the following year. (Example, the assessment notices from April 2011 were for the January 1, 2011 assessment. Tax levies for these values will be set in June of 2012 based on what the different taxing authorities budget in March and April 2012 for the next fiscal year of July 2012 - June 2013.)

The taxing authorities you pay property taxes to are listed at the bottom of your tax statement each year, along with their budget information and a breakdown of how much you are paying to each taxing body.

12. How do I know if my assessed value changes?

If there is any change to the assessed value of your property, you will receive an assessment notice on or before April 15th of the year of the change. The taxes on the new assessment will not be reflected until September of the following year.

13. If I don't agree with my assessed value, what do I do?

Before protesting your value, ask yourself these two questions:

1. What is the actual market value of my property? 
2. How does the value of my property compare to similar properties? 

After asking these questions, if you still do not agree, you are able to protest the value. Protest forms can be found on this website during protest times and are available at the Assessor's Office. Completed forms must be received in the Assessor's office starting April 16 up to and including May 5. The Board of Review will then review your assessment and determine whether the assessed value is fair. If, after review, you still do not agree with the assessed value, you may choose to appeal the case by filing in district court or with the Property Assessment Appeal Board.

14. How is agricultural land assessed?

Agricultural land and buildings are not assessed on market value. Corn Suitability Ratings (CSRs) are used to set agricultural land value along with productivity, which includes grain prices, yields, and land owners estimated expenses. This is done county wide on a five year average based on data from USDA and Iowa State University. For example, the years used for the 2011 assessment are 2005-2009. Based on this information, the Iowa Department of Revenue informs the counties what percentage adjustments are needed for agricultural land and buildings.