Appraisers from Clatsop County’s Assessment and Taxation Department will inspect residential and business properties in Gearhart over the next two years as part of the department’s ongoing comprehensive reappraisal of the entire county.
Appraisers physically inspect every property to verify the accuracy of county records. During their visit appraisers may measure buildings and will take photos. They will look for and note:
- Changes not recorded in current county records
- The quality and age of those changes
- Any signs of depreciation.
Appraisers will visit neighborhoods in vehicles bearing the Clatsop County logo and will carry official county identification. They will go door-to-door and if the owner is home the appraisers will identify themselves, explain the purpose of the visit, and may ask if they can view the inside of the home or other structure. If an owner declines, the appraiser will conduct the appraisal from the exterior of the building and/or the nearest right-of-way.
If the owner is not home, the appraiser will leave a yellow door tag containing contact information and conduct the appraisal from the nearest right-of-way.
“For many people, their main investment is their home. We want to make sure that they understand the appraisal process and know they can reach out to us if they have any questions,” said Suzanne Johnson, Clatsop County Assessment and Taxation Director.
The department performs on-site appraisals of new construction and improvements as they are completed, but lot-by-lot appraisals have not been conducted in Gearhart since 2009.
The county uses on-site appraisals, coupled with real property sales data and other information to determine a property’s real market value.
Oregon State law and Oregon Department of Revenue rules require all property to be valued at 100 percent of real market value.
For more information on the appraisal process and property taxes, visit ClatsopCounty.gov.