Fresno County Property Assessments | ABC30 Fresno

kfsn

By ABC30

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Fresno, CA Now you won't have to wait until you get your property tax bill. You'll be able to go online for the first time. As expected Fresno County's Property Assessments took a dive.

Weed-infested properties for sale contribute to the plunging property values in many Valley neighborhoods. Fresno County property assessments dropped 5.5% from last year. That translates to about $3.5 billion dollars.

Robert Rey said, "I'm sure mine has gone down but what's the use of moving out and paying rent you know?

Rey received a post-card from the County Assessor's Office last year, letting him know his property value dropped.

"I got one of those cards and I looked at it and said I may work on it later or look at it but it's one of those things you put that paperwork away," said Rey.

Which is why the assessor's office won't send out cards this year.

Asst. Assessor-Recorder Tim Leming said, "Traditionally we have sent out value cards in July. We're trying to step up into the 21st century here and move that information onto our website."

By the end of July you'll be able to type in your parcel number, which you'll find on your last tax bill, and learn your property value. Leming says twice as many homeowners as last year will notice big drops in their property value. 30% on average.

"About 77-thousand parcels of which we have reduced values," said Leming.

They're all homes bought during the real estate bubble. Merced County saw a 13% drop in property assessments last year. Over half the homes here, 42-thousand of them, decreased in value.

Merced County Assessor Kent Christensen said, "The average reduction was about $70-thousand dollars, which is about a $700.00 reduction. Granted, not everyone will get that. Some are going to get more. Some are going to get less."

Falling property values will result in a smaller tax bill but Robert Rey prefers the alternative.

"I'd rather have the value up there," said Rey.

By the end of July Fresno County homeowners can check their parcel value on-line. If you don't, you'll still find your parcel assessment value when your property tax bill comes in October.