Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 4, 1991 TAG: 9102040072
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The appraisal on his house on Staunton Avenue in Northwest Roanoke had been increased by 25 percent - from $28,000 to $35,000.
"For the size of my house and the neighborhood I live in, I think it is indeed too high," Moore said. He will contest his assessment.
Mabel Jeter had a similar reaction. The value on her house on Arbutus Avenue Southeast also was up 25 percent - from $44,500 to $55,500.
"It's ridiculous," Jeter said. "I couldn't believe it when I got it. I haven't done a thing to the house and it has gone up that much."
When Roanoke mailed new assessments a week ago, Real Estate Valuation Director Von Moody III said values had risen moderately in the past year. He declined to provide percentages, but a check of records shows that many assessments increased in the range of 5 percent.
Some homeowners found their houses had risen as much as 25 percent to 30 percent in value. And not all the big increases were in affluent neighborhoods where real estate values have climbed steadily during recent years.
Since the notices were mailed, 129 homeowners have appealed, down from 188 who challenged their assessments during the same period a year ago.
The deadline for appeals isFeb. 15.
Last year, about 1,200 property owners appealed - about 5 percent of the 25,000 who got notices of higher values.
In Roanoke County, 861 residents challenged their assessments this year, up from 738 last year, according to the county. The last day of hearings on assessments wasJan. 26.
Residential property values in the county increased an average of 5.9 percent in the latest reassessment. Increases in property values will be partly offset by the planned 2-cent reduction in the county's real estate tax rate.
The number of city properties whose assessed value rose this year - 22,000 houses and 3,000 commercial and industrial parcels - was similar to last year's numbers.
The city has about 44,000 pieces of real estate.
Gina Berliner was initially upset because the value on her house on Riverland Road Southeast had been increased by 25 percent - from $35,400 to $44,300.
But she calmed down after city assessors offered an explanation. They cited sales prices for houses in her neighborhood in recent years and other factors that convinced her that her assessment is probably correct.
"Even though I was displeased at first, I tend to accept their explanations," Berliner said.
But many of her neighbors are upset about their assessments, and the Riverland neighborhood organization plans to discuss the issue at its next meeting.
Not all homeowners with higher assessments are angry, however.
Robert Dennis expected an increase. The appraisal on his Maple Avenue Southwest house rose by 12.3 percent - from $51,900 to $58,300.
"I wasn't really surprised because I thought it had been too low," Dennis said. "I thought it should have been higher for several years."
But many homeowners were surprised by the higher values because of national news reports about declining real estate prices, bank failures and recession.
Moody said the decline in property values that has been reported in some areas in Virginia and other parts of the country has not occurred in Roanoke. "Based on our sales prices, the values of most single-family houses are still rising in the city," he said.
Frances Bridge, a spokeswoman for the Roanoke Valley Board of Realtors, agreed that real estate prices are still rising in Roanoke, but she said the rate of increase slowed in 1990.
Prices in the city have risen by an average of 1.6 percent in the past year, based on figures compiled by the Realtors' group, she said.
The financial impact of the new assessments won't be known until City Council sets the real estate tax rate this spring. The current rate is $1.25 per $100 assessed valuation.
Council members say a tax cut is doubtful because of a reduction in state aid for localities and a slumping economy that has slowed the growth in tax revenues.
Staff writer Mark Layman contributed to this article.
Memo: CORRECTION