Understanding the Basics of Iowa Property Tax: Part 3

The Assessor’s estimate of your property’s market value is always as of January 1st; however, unless the value changed because of some improvement, addition, or removal of value, re-evaluations only occur in odd numbered years. This being 2024, an even numbered year, your assessed value will not change unless you have done something to change the value of your property. If the value has changed, the Assessor’s office will notify you of the change in valuation by April 1.  

If you would like to review the information the Assessor’s office has about your property, you can go to IowaAssessors.com, click on your county, and search for your property. If you received a notice in the mail that your valuation has changed, or you looked at your property’s valuation online, you should ask yourself, “Could I sell this property for that amount today?” If the answer is yes, then the assessed value is probably correct.  

If you disagree with the assessed value, you have the right to appeal the assessment. The first step you should try is an Informal Review. Many disagreements can be resolved with this process. The time period for Informal Reviews are from April 2 through April 25 and you can simply call the Assessor’s office during that period to explain your position.  

If you are not able to reach an agreement with your Assessor with an Informal Review, or you want to skip that step entirely, you can file a written protest to your county board of review between April 2 and April 30 of each year. If April 30 falls on a weekend, the deadline is extended to the following business day. Petition forms to the board of review are available at your County Assessor’s office or at Iowa Department of Revenue’s website. You need to fill the form out completely and mail or deliver it to the Assessor’s office before April 30.  

Your County Board of Review meets each year in May to consider all protests. It is best if you choose to have an oral hearing on the petition form, because you will be given an opportunity to present your case in person to the board of review. In any case, it is important to fill the petition form out completely and sign it. All protests will be considered and the board’s decision in writing will be mailed to you after the board adjourns for the year. If you are not happy with the Board of Review’s decision, you can appeal to the Iowa Property Assessment Appeal Board or to District Court. 

Norwalk IA Real Estate – Jon Niemeyer, Broker/Owner/REALTOR® at EXIT Realty North Star. I list and sell real estate in Central Iowa including Norwalk, Des Moines, West Des Moines, Cumming, Indianola, Carlisle, Waukee, Urbandale, Grimes, Clive, Johnston, Ankeny, Altoona, and Pleasant Hill in the Counties of Warren, Polk, Dallas, and Madison. Call Jon Niemeyer at 515-490-4675.