Many of you have received a letter from Neptune Township indicating that the Township will be undergoing a town-wide revaluation in 2014 for the tax year 2015. The Township has awarded Realty Appraisal the contract to collect all of the necessary data, and to work with the Assessor’s Office to set values.
Realty Appraisal’s “data collector’s” are just that , collectors of data, they are not involved in the value process at all, so I ask that you allow them to do the inspection that the Department of Treasury/Division of Taxation and the Monmouth County Board of Taxation requires. The inspection is not intrusive, and should take only a few minutes of your time to complete.
We are currently working on a “Frequently Asked Questions” document that will be posted on the Assessor Page in the next few days. Our Office will keep you updated along the way by email blast, and our website (www.neptunetownship.org)
Your cooperation in the process would be greatly appreciated, and will insure that values are FAIR and CORRECT across the Township .
NOTE – For obvious reasons, we have determined that we will NOT be visiting homes in Ocean Grove until after Memorial Day.
Bernard C. Haney, CTA
Assessor/Land Use Administrator, Township of Neptune
732-988-5200 x 248 (Office)
The property tax is based on land and structure separately. Lots on blocks closer to the beach higher per sq. ft. than those further away: a 30×60 is valued at less than a 33×60 (mine), a 45×60 higher and so. Structures are assessed by age, size, # of bedrooms, baths, have a full, finished basement?, finished attic?, fireplaces? etc….and of course the condition of each element, in AND out.
The Township is NOT going to include the dimensions of our yards in their re-evaluation…correct? I would certainly hope not, considering the fact that we RENT the ground. I ask this question because, honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if they made up some crazy excuse to do so.
Are appliances taken into consideration? Are my new stainless steel appliances going to count against me? I already paid a lot in sales tax for them!
I worked in OG doing census in 2010. We only went to those properties that did not return census. This was about 50% .
Appraisers have to get into 100% of all properties. We started late March and worked into May. 1/2 of OG properties were vacant particularly those closest to Ocean. East of Central was like 90% vacant.
So I must agree with decision to start OG after Memorial Day. In meantime appraisers can start in rest of Neptune where there are very few seasonal – vacant properties. While it may inconvenience some summer renters, the last time around appraisers were in and out in about 5 to 10 minutes—-not that big a deal.
Simply inform your summer renters about this. If they really really have a problem with it then tell them to give appraiser your phone # . Then you can deal with it yourself rather than renter.
I agree with Gloria. I had been racking my brain on why I was missing the “obvious reason” to wait until after Memorial Day. If they only get 25% done during an early wave, that’s still a good start. The town has a good feel on year-round addresses versus summer/rental properties.
I guess they’re waiting to bother some family that is enjoying their $2,500 vacation week instead.
After we bought our home 7 years ago and fully renovated it with the correct permits the assessor sent us a letter to view the completed project. I would think there should not be too many worries if you acquired the proper permits since taxes are adjusted as you renovate with permits.
Dr.Carol : It is the appraisal company you need to call (around Memorial day) not the assessor. Their phone # is 800-841-6740. They will be the ones conducting appraisal and needing access. I called and the woman who answered the phone was very nice & understanding. She asked that I call back when they get to OG. Seemed to me that they would cooperate in setting up a appointment with owners. It would be to their benefit and make their job easier.
Assessment X Tax Rate = Your Taxes. Note that tax rate has nothing to do with assessment. Seperate discussion/issue. Theoretically If Neptune budget stays same and tax rate stays same then all equals out. We could only wish. Some Neptune properties assessments will stay the same, some will go up, and some may even go down. I don’t think OG will get clobbered as we did last time. However I am going to guess a 10% increase.
I believe a re-assessment is required by the state when assessed value versus real market value differs by a certain percentage . Not sure but I think it is 10%. I don’t really think this is Neptune’s doing as it is a big headache for them.
Any homes that have had major improvements & renovations should have done so legally/properly and would have had their assessments/value adjusted accordingly then. Yes I guess those who didn’t do things properly will get caught and will now pay the price. Hopefully code enforcement/Township doesn’t get involved and issue fines.
Thought question: Compared with 10 years ago, is OG relatively nicer, less nice, or the same as the rest of Neptune Township (including commercial real estate)? Related question: Compared to 10 years ago, is your house nicer, less nice, or about the same as other houses in OG?
If you answered nicer to both questions, you will see a dramatic increases in taxes (e.g., 25-30%). If you answered nicer to one of these questions, expect a 10-15% increase.
I believe that OG is relatively nicer than it was 10 years ago (compared to Neptune as a whole) and those of us who invested in our houses will now reap the punishment the government gives to those who have nicer things.
Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the new tax appraisal is a county-wide (perhaps state-wide?) requirement. Neptune Township volunteered to be one of the first townships to get it over with.
We can all hope for that. However, it’s more likely that most of our homes will show an increase in value. I’ve been tracking sales of OG homes for the past few years, in the first 3 blocks, and the sales prices average 1.4 times the assessed value. However, even if all our homes are assessed upward, we can’t assume our taxes will all rise proportionally.
Presumably the overall tax rate will go down when the total assessed value for the entire township rises. I may be dreaming here, of course.
It may come as a surprise but an inspection can result even in a revaluation DOWNWARD. It happened to me in my previous house. I was appealing my real estate tax after lived there for over 10 years. The township’s assessor visited to inspect because I challenged the property card indicated I had a finished basement. He saw it was no tfinished and changed the records. When I asked if I could get a refund for the 10 years I overpaid based on an incorrect valuation he said no, I should have corrected the error by checking the readily available record.
Lesson: check what the reval inspector’s property card says. It could list two fireplaces while you only have one or none.
What sense does “For obvious reasons, we have determined that we will not be visiting homes in Ocean Grove until after Memorial Day.” For the half of us that are here in the off season why not get it over with. After Memorial Day I may not answer the door as I plan on being at the beach.
Editor’s Note. According to my new friend A. at the Assessors Office, the idea is that more second-homers will be around to greet the assessors. They much prefer knocking on the door of an occupied home rather than an empty one. —-P. (It’s like Q in the Bond movies. So you all can call me P. if you like—–Oh, the period is silent.)
Blogfinger took a field trip to the tax assessor’s office today at the Mother Ship. Mr. Haney wasn’t there but his Deputy Assessor, A. Dawn Crozier, CTA, was very helpful. We even were on a first initial basis.
She said that no photographs of the interior of houses would be taken—-only exterior. The appraisal of the house takes in a variety of variables as mentioned by other commenters, but square feet (assessed from outside) is important.
They take into consideration the age of the home relative to the condition. Inside they look at the number of bathrooms and bedrooms. They also look for finished basements and attics. And, location is a factor as is the “condition and quality” of your home.
Inside they look for “modern” restorations, such as new looking kitchens inside old houses. The appraisers will try 3 times to gain access to your home–after that, they will use their “best guess.” If you don’t want them to come in when you are home, for example you want your spouse to be there, they will allow you to schedule an appointment.
The last time they came was 2004.
If you want to be on their email list, go to the Neptune Twp. web site and sign up for the Assessor’s Dept. email blast list. They are completing their “FAQ” list on the Township web site.
Not just the size. They will count the number of bathrooms and kitchens and bedrooms and will note the condition of the interior and exterior as well. They’ll look at things like what type of heating and air conditioning you may have and how old the equipment is.
I’m frustrated because the Township won’t let me make an appointment. I can’t have the inspectors coming when I have renters in the house. (Imagine having your vacation interrupted by an inspector!!!) And my renters will simply not know anything about the house — how old the furnace is, for example. Other towns nearby are allowing residents to make appointments, but Mr. Haney says Neptune can’t do that.
During the last reval I understand many interior improvements and renovations done WITHOUT permits were uncovered. A lot can be done in ten years without authorization, paying fees, and getting necessary inspections by Code and Construction for the homeowners (and their neighbors) safety.
Fessing up in advance of being found in violation might be the wiser, less expensive course.
Ken.
They come inside to determine the physical condition of the internal structure — not how clean it is. Did you get your kitchen redone in the last 10 years? Higher taxes. Did you replace carpeting with hardwood floors? Higher taxes. Did you redo a bathroom? Higher taxes. In fact, I suspect that this will be a shocking event for those folks who bought their houses in the last 10 years and did any sort of significant upgrade/restoration.
Keep in mind that a majority of the houses in OG are not well maintained. I saw this first hand when I looked at over 30 houses before I bought mine. Most were in terrible shape (houses in the low $500K range) — bad foundations, old bathrooms, Formica counters in the kitchen, old roofs, doors out of square due to level issues, etc.
OG homeowner: I think they are checking for capital improvements that could increase the value of a house – new jacuzzi bath, central air, indoor hot tub, etc. Given the size and age of the homes in OG a lot of these things either don’t or can happen in the Grove but have to be consistent across the township. (although I don’t know how exactly capital improvements are defined in Neptune/Monmouth/NJ) Many things that are considered capital improvements are also tax deductible when you sell the house.
If the appraisers come inside and take photographs,does this mean the nicer your house is kept up, the higher your taxes will be? Why would they need to come inside? Aren’t taxes based on the size of the house?
I can confirm that it has been 10 years since the last mass appraisal. I had just moved in a week prior to the guy knocking on my door. Time flies when you are Bythesea.
Why does this have to be an actual physical onsite appraisal ? I thought the township has a property card on every property with its data/info(# of rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, etc. ). Can’t this be done utilizing existing data? Lenders do so commonly. Seems a waste of time & money and an inconvenience.
I had a very unsatisfactory email exchange with Mr. Haney after receiving this letter. He replied that if we don’t let the appraisers in, the township will appraise the house as if it were “Buckingham Palace”.
Wasn’t this done in 2007 or 2008? Seems too soon to do it again. I’m still stinging from the last time my house was appraised. Grover’s will be seeing some large tax increases, I suspect.