Augusta County property owners have until Monday, March 18, to contact the reassessment office to schedule an informal reassessment appeal.
The last assessment in Augusta County was on Jan. 1, 2019.
After notices were sent to property owners on Feb. 20 with the 2024 reassessment, the Augusta County Board of Supervisors released a statement addressing the increase in home and commercial values.
“We recognize the anxiety that residents may feel as a result of the reassessment process. As stewards of our community, it is our responsibility to ensure that we strike a balance between fiscal responsibility and addressing the needs of our residents,” Board Chair Jeff Slaven was quoted in the statement.
The statement cited the avenues that taxpayers have to appeal their reassessment – involving the Augusta County reassessment office, the Board of Equalization and the Augusta County Circuit Court.
Increases by magisterial district
According to the Commissioner of the Revenue, the average increase in assessed value of homes in Augusta County is 54 percent.
The average increase in assessed values of commercial properties in Augusta County is 52 percent.
The largest increases were seen in the Middle River and North River districts. The Riverheads and Town of Craigsville districts had the smallest increases, according to Commissioner of the Revenue George E. Price in an email to AFP.
- Middle River: 57 percent
- North River: 56 percent
- Beverley Manor: 55 percent
- South River: 55 percent
- Pastures: 54 percent
- Wayne: 51 percent
- Riverheads: 49 percent
- Town of Craigsville: 48 percent
Ways to appeal
Appeal to the reassessment office
- An appeal to the reassessment office should received no later than March 18, 2024
- You may appeal your assessment informally in person or by mail, email, Zoom or phone.
- In-person hearings will be conducted at the Augusta County Government Center in Verona, beginning March 6. Schedule an in-person hearing by calling (540)-245-5630.
- Written appeals should be submitted by mail to Augusta County reassessment office, P.O. Box 1789, Waynesboro, VA 22980; by email, [email protected]; or by online appeal form and include name, map number, record number, telephone number, reason for appeal, comparable sales, properties and/or details for the assessment office to consider.
- An online form is also available to start the appeal process with the reassessment office.
Appeal to the Board of Equalization
- You are not required to present your appeal to the reassessment office in order to formally appeal to the Board of Equalization.
- For unresolved appeals by the reassessment office, Augusta County will convene the BOE to review cases starting in June.
- Cases will be reviewed by the BOE on dates to-be-determined and advertised in the paper.
- Owners with fewer than four residential units will receive a 45-day notice prior to their hearing date, per Virginia Code, though these owners can choose to waive the 45-day notice in order to schedule the hearing before that date.
After reviewing the in-person or written appeal, the BOE will determine whether to increase, decrease, or affirm the assessment.
At this point in the appeal process, the BOE presumes that the reassessed value is correct, so the taxpayer or agent must present clear evidence that the assessment of the property is not uniform with the assessments of other similar properties or that the property is assessed in excess of its fair market value.
Comparable sales data, property information, and details on incorrect property statistics should be presented for an appeal to the BOE.
Appeal to the Circuit Court
- You are not required to present your appeal to the reassessment office in order to formally appeal to the Circuit Court
- Appeals to the Circuit Court are a judicial procedure and filings are made to the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
- The owner/agent may appeal to the Circuit Court without first appealing to the assessor or the BOE.
2024 real estate reassessment notices
Statements detailing the 2024 reassessed fair market value of land, building and improvements to property were mailed to Augusta County real estate owners on Feb. 20.
The reassessment reflects the current fair market value of each property, excluding any reduction for participation in a reduced tax program.
If the reassessment notice was not received, learn your property’s 2024 reassessed value using one of these methods:
- Property owners can access the 2024 reassessed values online.
- Visit the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office to review the reassessment book.
Board of Supervisor contacts
- Jeffrey A. Slaven, Chairman, North River Magisterial District
- Pam L. Carter, Vice-Chair, Pastures Magisterial District
- Carolyn Bragg, South River Magisterial District
- Gerald W. Garber, Middle River Magisterial District
- Scott Seaton, Wayne Magisterial District
- Michael L. Shull, , Riverheads Magisterial District
- Butch Wells, Beverley Manor Magisterial District
Questions for the assessor?
- Learn more about the reassessment process at AugustaCountyVA.gov/reassessment
- [email protected]
- (540)-245-5630
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Chris Graham
