Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

GATESVILLE – North Carolina law mandates that each county reassess their property tax values every eight years.

Gates County’s last reevaluation came in 2017, meaning next year (2025) will see property values reassessed and that effort begins now!

Tax revaluation assessments are currently underway in Gates County. Local officials are advising county citizens that they might notice revaluation personnel out and about in the county over the coming months. Those personnel work for Piner Appraisals, a firm under contract by the county. They’ll be driving either a marked white or black Toyota Tacoma.

The appraisers began their work recently in the Hall and Reynoldson areas in the western part of the county.

Gary Piner, owner of Piner Appraisals, and Renee McGinnis gave an update on July 17 to the Gates County Board of Commissioners about the pending work.

“We are continuing our field work,” said McGinnis. “Once we get the field work done we will start with data entry, which is where we take the data that was gathered during the field work and entering that into the tax software. We continue to work with property sales in the county to determine market value to get our base values.”

McGinnis added that the field work may take until the end of the year to complete.

“We hope to get the revaluation notices out to property owners by the end of February or early March,” she said. “By using that time frame it will allow us to stay on course with this process.

“If at any point in time until the [tax reappraisal] notices go out, we will be glad to schedule a workshop with the board of commissioners to work with ya’ll on understanding tax records, how property values are arrived at, so you will be better equipped to talk with your taxpayers once they start calling,” McGinnis added.

Gary Piner said his company will be transitioning some extra field personnel to get the job wrapped up. He introduced Mark Wilkes as a long-time colleague of his firm.

“He’ll be out there appraising properties,” Piner noted.

Commissioner Dr. Althea Riddick agreed with McGinnis that a workshop with the board is a good idea.

“I also suggest you come back with a information sheet for our citizens. We can’t explain this as good as ya’ll can,” Riddick said.

McGinnis said a good time to hold a workshop is when the schedule of values have been established.

“I’ll be in touch with Mr. [Scott] Sauer [county manager] to set up that workshop,” McGinnis promised.

Commissioner Linda Hofler asked if field workers for Piner Appraisals will use vehicles that are marked for identification.

“Yes we do, we also give that identification to the Gates County Sheriff’s Office as to the make and model and license plate numbers of the vehicles used by our staff,” McGinnis said. “We’re also leaving door hangers so that the citizens will know that we have been on their property. Our appraisers also have flyers and brochures with them in case a property owner asks questions.”