Making the most of property assessors offices in Alabama will require the office to assess the market value of a property. This value is then multiplied by the tax rate to determine the actual tax that the owner must pay on the property each year. Property tax rates may be set by organizations such as cities, counties or school districts.

Alabama property assessors use several factors such as location and size to determine the value of a property. This assessment is usually accurate and requires a property value appeal only on rare occasions. There are three things you need to do when evaluating the property value as determined by the assessor’s office:

1. Obtain the information the property assessors in Alabama use to make the assessment. You should already know the size and location of the property, but the assessor also will be able to provide the value of other properties in your area.
2. Get a professional appraisal so you may compare it to the assessor’s property value.
3. Appeal the assessor’s valuation of your property if needed. Each assessor’s office has a specific procedure for accomplishing this.
   

Action Steps
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Learn more about the laws regarding property assessment in Alabama

Each state has laws that provide guidelines on the way that property values are assessed. There also may be laws that specify what property tax information is publicly available.

I recommend: The Alabama Department of Revenue provides rules and regulations regarding property taxes in Alabama. RE/MAX of Gulf Shores has specific information on the calculation of property taxes in Alabama.

Find out how professional appraisers determine property value in Alabama

Appraisers may use different methods to estimate the value of your property. You will want to ensure the professional appraiser considers the same factors as the property assessor.

I recommend: Property Appraiser.com allows you to locate appraisers by county in Alabama and also provides extensive information on obtaining a property appraisal. Alabama Appraisal allows you to search for appraisers by city, county and zip code.

Learn how your county performs an Alabama property assessment

Many property assessors offices in Alabama have online resources available to help you with your assessment. You should be able to locate this information on your county's website, in addition to other information regarding property taxes.

I recommend: The Madison County Tax Assessor has extensive information regarding property tax assessments. The Morgan County Revenue Commissioner answers specific questions on property taxes and includes a description of the appeals procedure.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check with your Alabama property assessor to see if you qualify for any exemptions on your property assessment. Exemptions may be recognized for disabled veterans, senior citizens or non-profit organizations. File any appeals to your current tax assessment before the tax deadline. It will be more difficult to obtain a favorable ruling on an appeal after the deadline.

Property assessors in Alabama are responsible for estimating a property's value. That figure is then used to calculate the amount of property tax an owner must pay. Additionally, Alabama property assessors must maintain records of real estate sales and continually reappraise properties to reflect fair market value.

If you are an Alabama property owner interested in property values, you need to contact your county's assessor of property in Alabama. You may also find additional services and resources available at the county office, including assessors maps, property ownership information and taxation information. Alabama property assessments are open to the public. You might want to view property assessment records in order to:

1. Confirm the price brackets of properties in a certain area that you are interested in.

2. Find out your Alabama property values if you're interested in selling or refinancing.

3. Determine the amount of Alabama property tax you owe.

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Take advantage of property assessors offices in Alabama that maintain online databases

Many counties in Alabama maintain an online presence, and a number of those also provide searchable property records for the public. This way, you can avoid constant trips to the assessor's office every time you need information on a property. If your county assessor's office does not provide public records online, try other websites. You may have to subscribe for this information; but if real estate is your business, it will be worth the small fee.

I recommend: The State of Alabama offers a state map with links to its counties so you can access assessors offices with websites. LoopNet offers property values based on past sales. US Search provides a comprehensive property report that includes property values in Alabama, ownership information and sales history.

Consider the Alabama property value appeals process if you have concerns

If you receive an Alabama property tax assessment you disagree with, you can appeal. In Alabama, the appeals process varies from county to county. Appeals are made via the county assessor's office or the county's board of equalization. Contact your assessor's office for assistance.

I recommend: You can download the forms you need to start the appeals process from the Alabama Department of Revenue's website, including the Board of Equalization's market value form. You can also get a list of assessment procedures. Domania is an online real estate resource that has property tax estimators and a property valuation tool.

Get a second opinion on your Alabama property assessment

Before you appeal the results of your assessment, you may consider getting a second opinion. This is where an independent appraiser comes into the picture. An appraiser will not only reevaluate your property, he'll also provide you with the necessary paperwork you'll need to submit to your assessor's office in the event you decide to pursue an appeal.

I recommend: Baker Valuation is committed to surveying and maintaining thorough, accurate market data using established appraisal methodologies: the cost, sales comparison and income capitalization approaches. American Business Appraisers has valued billions of dollars worth of businesses. For more Alabama appraisers, try the Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  There are sometimes tax exemptions available for certain properties and businesses; for instance, non-profits are tax-exempt. Check with your Alabama property assessor to see whether your small business qualifies for a tax exemption.

Training to work in property assessors offices in Alabama will teach you how to appraise personal and real and personal property in order to estimate its fair market value. Property assessors may also assess property for the purpose of setting property taxes in accordance with a prescribed schedule.

The requirements needed to perform Alabama property assessments are complex and vary by the type and value of the property being appraised. Generally, these requirements may be grouped in the following categories:

1. Education. While there are no formal degree requirements for property assessors in Alabama, most practicing assessors have at least a bachelor’s degree, preferably in economics, finance or real estate. However, the specific courses that a property assessor needs are usually taken at a community college or professional assessor organization.

2. On-the-job training. This is required to obtain a license or certification and should be acquired in the office of an independent fee appraiser, if possible.

3. Licensure. Federal law requires that property appraisers have a state-issued license if they will be involved in transactions requiring a federal loan of $250,000 or more.

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Complete the courses needed to work in property assessors offices in Alabama

There are a variety of on-site universities and distance learning classes that teach students to assess Alabama property values. These institutions should update their curriculum frequently to reflect changes in the state's educational requirements for property appraisers.

I recommend: The Alabama Association of Real Estate Appraisers offers pre-license appraisal courses twice each month in northern Alabama, and continuing education seminars throughout Alabama. The Career Web School provides the education needed to become an Alabama trainee real property appraiser.

Get on-the-job training for Alabama property assessment

Job training for property appraisers in Alabama has specific requirements, as laid out by the Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board. These requirements stipulate the length of time the training must take, the way in which the mentor must monitor the process, and the type of experience the trainee must acquire.

I recommend: Section 34-27A-11 of the Alabama state statute provides the experience requirements for property appraisers in Alabama. The Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board specifies the job training requirements for both mentors and trainees.

Become a licensed Alabama property assessor

Alabama recognizes five categories of appraisers. A trainee must work under the direct supervision of a licensed appraiser. A state registered appraiser may perform appraisals for non-federally funded properties, and a licensed appraiser may work on federally funded property. A certified residential appraiser can perform federally-related appraisals on residential property and a certified general appraiser can perform appraisals on all types of property.

I recommend: The Real Estate Appraisers Board of Alabama provides an overview of the licensure and certification process for property assessors offices in Alabama. Education and training information can be found at Property Appraiser.com, which has a checklist that details the requirements for becoming licensed appraiser in Alabama.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Alabama property assessors must meet the minimum certification and licensing requirements established by the Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB) of the Appraisal Foundation. However, many states have more stringent licensing requirements than those required by the AQB. For example, a state may require an appraisal license for all appraisers regardless of the transaction value of the property.

Alabama property assessors offices laws and regulations deal with property taxes that are based on the estimated value of real property. The fair market value is the most common standard of value used in Alabama, although there are other standards, such as the foreclosure value or distressed sale value. A property tax exemption is applied by reducing a property's assessed value by a specified amount before calculating the property tax.

There are a variety of information sources regarding the laws on Alabama property values. These sources include the three following categories:

1. The Alabama state government. These sources offer official information, including state laws that deal with property assessors in Alabama.
2. County and municipal governments in Alabama. These sources provide the rules and procedures for a specific property assessors office in Alabama.
3. Alabama law firms that include property law as one of their areas of practice. These firms may provide information on specific issues of property tax laws in Alabama.
   

Action Steps
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Examine the laws that control assessors of property values in Alabama

The state government of Alabama will have specific laws for property tax assessors. Private organizations also provide summaries and general information on property tax assessor laws in Alabama.

I recommend: The Alabama Department of Revenue provides the specific legislation that addresses the assessment of property taxes in Alabama. Pete on the Beach provides a summary of Alabama property tax law as it relates to real estate transactions in Alabama.

Study the procedures for conducting Alabama property assessment in a particular jurisdiction

Local governments have specific procedures for property assessments and also may offer an Alabama property tax search. A complete list of Alabama property tax records may also be available.

I recommend: The Revenue Commissioner in Baldwin County describes the homestead exemptions that Alabama allow for property taxes. The Revenue Commissioner for Lauderdale County cites the specific portion of the Alabama Code that defines real property in Alabama.

Review Alabama property assessors laws from private organizations in Alabama

Private organizations in Alabama frequently lobby to reform laws on property assessments. They also may write articles on specific issues regarding property taxes in Alabama.

I recommend: The Alabama Historical Commission provides an overview of property assessment law in Alabama as it relates to historic buildings. The Alabama Forestry Association offers a history of Lynch et. al. vs. Alabama, an important property tax case in Alabama.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many laws on Alabama property assessments are the result of the Financial Institutions Reform and Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). The savings and loan crisis of the late 80s resulted in the passage of the FIRREA in 1989, which required the adoption of property appraisal standards in the United States.