Ohio law, ORC §5713.01, mandates a visual appraisal of each parcel of property once every six years to ensure fair and equitable values. In addition to a reappraisal every six years, Ohio law also mandates a Triennial Update based on sales of real estate that has taken place in Montgomery County over the three years since the last reappraisal.  The triennial update is done without on-site property visits.  The Revaluation involves a visual inspection of all properties. The values set on properties in Montgomery County are used for taxing purposes.  

Our property tax system is the basis for sharing the costs of government services such as public schools, police and fire protection. Other services funded by property taxes include human services, libraries, senior and elderly services, street improvements, roads and bridges, Sinclair Community College and the Career Technology Center.

Reappraisal is a systematic review of all real estate within Montgomery County for the purpose of setting fair market values as of a specific point in time. During a reappraisal, every neighborhood is reviewed and adjustments are made to county records to be sure that all property is assessed at a fair and equitable market value. To determine the value of a property, current property data will be verified, sales throughout the county will be researched, properties of similar types will be compared, current construction costs will be examined and rental income will be researched.

In Ohio, county auditors are required to do a full general reappraisal/revaluation once in every six years. This process is called the Sexennial Reappraisal. The Auditor and his qualified appraiser are required to view and appraise every property in the county for this purpose. As this is mass appraisal, the process takes between two and two-and-a-half years to complete as there are about 253,550 parcels in Montgomery County.

On the third year in between reappraisals, each county auditor is required to perform a statistical analysis of the valid sales occurring within the prior three years and provide a percentage adjustment to equalize values of all properties in each given marketing neighborhood area. These adjustments help assure that equalization of value is maintained. This process is called the Triennial Update.

Image collection helps the appraiser determine fair and equitable property values and helps verify that information on the property record is correct.  Digital photographs are also useful for emergency management recovery reports and for providing “before” photos to property owners in case of losses.

Image collection is scheduled for late summer through fall.  All image collection is taken from the public right-of-way whenever possible.  Project members may access driveways or private lanes only when necessary to obtain an unobstructed image from the van.  At no time should a project member ask to enter your home.

Visit www.mcrealestate.org to search for your property. If there is a discrepancy in your property information, or if you have questions, contact the Auditor's Office at 937-225-5096. 

Tentative new property values will be available on the property search website after the August 14 property tax due date.

During a Revaluation, property value changes can occur based on sales in your neighborhood area, as these sales create the real estate market. Property values and markets increase and decrease based on many factors beyond home improvements.

Generally speaking, improvements that increase the market value of a property will increase the appraised value. The following are typical items that will increase the value of your property:

• Room additions
• New decks
• New outbuildings, such as garages
• Primarily improvements requiring a building permit

Conversely, if a property has been damaged or destroyed the market value is likely to decrease.

You should first try to decide for yourself what your property is worth. Look at area sales in your neighborhood area and compare values of similar homes in your neighborhood area.  Our website at www.mcrealestate.org is an excellent source of information.

Ohio law offers property owners the opportunity to appeal their property value by filing a complaint form with the Board of Revision from January through March of each year. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline to file a complaint form in 2020 has been extended to August 24. Complaint forms may be found on our website, www.mcrealestate.org under the “Value Dispute” tab or you may call us at 937-496-6856. The Board of Revision will review all complaints filed.

For additional information, contact the Montgomery County Auditor's Office online at www.mcrealestate.org or call us at 937-225-4326.

Fair Market Value – Fair market value is defined as the most probable price a willing buyer would pay and a willing seller would accept for a piece of property in an open market, not affected by undue circumstances, such as foreclosure, sheriff sale, short sale or HUD sale.

Assessed Value - Assessed value is the figure used to calculate the real estate tax bill. Assessed value is a percentage of the fair market value.  In Ohio, assessed value equals 35% of the fair market value.  For example, a home valued at $100,000 would be assessed at $35,000.

Millage - Literally, a mill means one thousandth.  For tax purposes: each mill generates $1 of taxes for every $1,000 of assessed value.

Owner Occupancy Credit - is available to all owner-occupied residential properties in Ohio. Rental properties are not eligible for the reduction.

Homestead Exemption - provides a tax credit to homeowners who meet at least one of the following criteria and the income requirement:  1) 65 years of age or older; 2) permanently and totally disabled 3) surviving spouse (at least 59 years old on the date of the decedent's death) of a person receiving the homestead reduction in the year of his/her death.  Applicants must own and occupy their home as their primary residence.  Applications are available through www.mcrealestate.org or by calling 937-225-4341.

CAUV - CAUV or Current Agricultural Use Value is an application program providing property tax reductions on farmlands of ten acres or more devoted exclusively to agricultural use or for timberlands. The program is available for tracts of land that are less than ten acres, if the average yearly gross farm income for the past three years is at least $2,500 from agricultural products.  Under the CAUV program, farmland is valued based on soil types rather than the "best and highest use".

Special Assessments – Special charges may be imposed on a property by various taxing authorities for services such as street lighting, curb and sidewalk improvements, waste collection and preservation of the aquifer, dams and waterways.

APC – Annual property charge for county waste transfer stations.

MCD/APS – Miami Conservancy District Aquifer Preservation Subdivision for aquifer preservation.  

MCD/DSIF – Miami Conservancy District Dam Safety Initiative Fund for maintenance and upkeep of area dams and waterways.

Given the extraordinary circumstances of the global pandemic, the Auditor’s Office requested a one-year delay of the 2020 Property Reappraisal from the Ohio Department of Taxation. That request was denied, and the Reappraisal has been completed this year as originally scheduled.

Since the extension was denied, this Reappraisal will be based on real estate market data from 2017, 2018 and 2019. The new values reflect the characteristics of properties as they were on January 1, 2020, before COVID-19 had impacted the United States.

Owners of tornado damaged property who missed last year’s Damaged Property Deduction deadline are being offered another opportunity for tax relief. Please visit our Tornado Tax Relief page for more information about this program.

Final appraisal notices should be mailed in late November or December 2020. For taxing purposes, the value will not go into effect until January 2021.