Revamping Property Inspections in Cole County

Cole County residents are in for a change as the Assessor's Office starts a mass reinspection plan. Every odd-numbered year, property values are reassessed to determine property taxes. This year, the office is gathering detailed information on every residential parcel to guide next year's reassessment. The State Tax Commission has told the county that current property assessments are too low.

The old way of doing things involved going out with a pen and paper, gathering information, and then heading back to the office to put the new information in. But now, assessors take an iPad out in the field, take pictures, and enter their data while they're still there. This new technology makes it easier for assessors to gather data and have it back in a timely manner.

Assessors will first knock on the door when they arrive at a home. They'll then take photos around the residence, updating new features as needed. They only observe the outside of a home. When they come to a home, they announce themselves and explain to residents what the process looks like. They want to put people at ease, especially first-time owners or those who haven't seen this process in a while.

The reassessment process is expected to take seven to eight months, with 25,000 homes to inspect. Cole County will send out postcards to residents with updates. The Assessor's Office is cautiously optimistic that this new system will increase the efficiency of field inspectors.