CROW WING COUNTY — According to property assessment data released by Crow Wing County, total assessed value of all properties in the county increased from $13 billion as of Jan. 2, 2021, to $17 billion on Jan. 2, 2022, an increase of $4 billion, or 31%, according to the county Land Services Department.
Last year the county exceeded valuation levels not seen since before the Great Recession in 2008. This year’s valuation far exceeds any property valuation Crow Wing County has had on record.
The county mailed valuation and classification notices to all property owners identifying the assessed value of the property as of Jan. 2, 2022, based on sales of comparable properties during the period of October 2020 through September 2021.
Gary Griffin, Land Services director, said an overall increase in value does not mean all properties have increased in value at 31%.
“Each property’s value is established based on actual sales that occurred in the marketplace. If comparable properties in a neighborhood during the study period sold for more, valuations will be higher; if comparable nearby properties sold for less, valuations go down,” he said in a news release.
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He said state Department of Revenue rules determine the process counties must follow to determine assessed values.
“State rules don’t allow us to consider foreclosure sales, sales between relatives, government sales or other sales that are not considered arm’s length transactions. This limits the number of sales we can use for comparable in today’s market,” Griffin said.
In addition, state rules require assessed values to fall within a statistical range that is between 90% and 105% of what comparable properties actually sold for. If the assessed value is outside that range, the state requires all property values to be raised or lowered accordingly.
Griffin said higher or lower assessed values do not necessarily mean higher or lower taxes.
“Government spending - at the county, city, township and school district levels - drive what taxes are due and payable on a property,” he said.
Griffin encouraged taxpayers to contact the Land Services office with any questions about valuation and classification notices.
The office is in Brainerd on the main floor of the Land Services Building at 322 Laurel St. Call 218-824-1010, email landservices@crowwing.us or visit www.crowwing.us.