POLK COUNTY, Iowa — Polk County Assessor Randy Ripperger said home values increased an average of 22% in the county in 2023. To understand why, he said we have to look a few years behind us, when the housing market was hot.
"If you go back to 2021, interest rates were at an all time low, record low, under 3%," Ripperger. "We had a severe shortage of homes for sale, and a very, very strong demand of people wanting to buy a home. We're at the point now where properties are selling about 25% more than what we have assessed at. So we have to adjust our values to get within 95 to 105% of that 100% target level."
Ripperger said, if his office doesn't adjust values, the Department of Revenue will step in and do it.
"If we did not adjust residential properties, this spring, the director of revenue would issue a 25% increase on all residential property in Polk County," he said.
But just because assessments may have increased by double digits, Ripperger said your tax bill won't do the same.
"After the rollback percentage is going to be applied, when taxes are going to be due on this assessment, most of us will see around a 3% growth in our taxable value," Ripperger said. "The taxable value is what the actual property tax is calculated off, not not our assessment. So, it's not as bad as it is first appears when you open your assessment notice."
If you don't agree with your assessment, you have a few different options to contest it.
The first is an informal review which can be requested from the assessor's office until April 25. The second is a written protest, which needs to be filed by May 1.
Ripperger anticipates the board of review will be considering those requests well into July of this year.
If you'd like more information on the appeals process and how to file, click here.