Property owners don’t have to let assessors into their home, but doing so could result in a more accurate assessment.
MANITOWOC – Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels announced the city would be going through property reassessment again this year.
Here are five things to know about the process.
What are equalized and assessed property values?
According to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the assessed value of a property is the value a local assessor places on a taxable property, which is based on the property’s market value.
The annual equalized value of each municipality represents the Department of Revenue’s estimate of the total value of all taxable property within that municipality. The equalized value is affected by things like changes in market prices, municipal annexations, new construction, demolition of buildings and more.
When will property owners see assessors?
Assessors from Associated Appraisal Consultants will conduct property inspections throughout the city February-April, and notices of any changes to the property value will be mailed in September.
Why are property values being reassessed this year?
Property reassessments are required by state law when there is a 10% or more difference between equalized property values and assessed property values in a municipality.
Nickels said the city is currently at 90.86% of equalized to assessed value and that number will drop below 90% if the reassessment is not done this year.
When was the last reassessment done?
The last property value reassessment for the city was done in 2023.
According to Nickels, the housing market is continuing to fluctuate at a much higher rate than previous years, which is why the city has to do reassessments only two years after the previous one.
Wisconsin state statutes also require municipalities to complete reassessments at least once every five years, even if the equalized and assessed values are less than 10% apart.
What are my rights as a property owner?
Property owners do not have to allow assessors into their home. However, Nickels said the assessment may be more accurate if they do.
Property owners can also appeal their assessment directly to their assessor and also to the city’s Board of Review.
The Board of Review consists of Nickels and five city council members who will meet in September or October, before the 2026 property tax bills are sent out.
For more information, people can call the mayor’s office at 920-686-6980 or email Nickels at jnickels@manitowoc.org.
Alisa M. Schafer is a reporter for the Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc. She can be reached by email at aschafer@gannett.com.