Making the most of property assessors offices in Kansas 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.

Kansas property assessors offices use factors like 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 offices in Kansas 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 professional appraisals so you may compare them to the Kansas property assessments.
3. Appeal the assessor’s valuation of your property if needed. Kansas assessors have a specific procedure for accomplishing this.
   

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Learn more about the laws regarding Kansas property assessments

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 Kansas Court of Tax Appeals provides the specific procedure for filing an appeal to your property appraisal. The Kansas Department of Revenue describes the allowable exemptions to property taxes in Kansas.

Find out how professional appraisers determine Kansas property values

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: The Wilson Company in Manhattan provides an overview of its appraisal process. The Chris Goodson Appraisal Service has a FAQ on appraisals and also defines some commonly used terms.

Learn how your county performs a Kansas property assessment

Many counties have online resources available to help you with your property tax 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 Ottawa County Tax Appraiser provides an overview of the property appraisal process and also offers a property search application. The Douglas County Appraiser has a FAQ on property appraisals and many other related resources.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check with your Kansas 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 assessment in Kansas applies to commercial real property and houses. They are appraised at market value, or the amount a buyer would pay in an open and competitive market, on January 1st of each year. Kansas property values are determined by county appraisers and collected by the county assessors office.

Kansas property assessors also provide a variety of other information to the potential investor besides just property tax records. They analyze trends in property sales prices, the costs of constructing a new property and the average expense for renting property. They also handle ownership changes, up-to-date maps of property lines and property descriptions. It pays to get familiar with Kansas property assessments because the records can help you:

1. Determine true market value.

2. Track property market trends by checking out the rise and fall of Kansas land value.

3. Evaluate whether Kansas property assessments are fair based on comparisons with similar properties.

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Know how property assessors' offices in Kansas operate

Knowledge is power. If you don't understand Kansas property assessment, you won't know if the assessment on your land or building is fair.

I recommend: Bankrate.com explains how property assessments are completed; just click on "Property" for more information. The Kansas Department of Revenue website includes general information as well as a property tax calendar.

Find Kansas land value information with the help of online tools

Property assessors in Kansas make it very easy to search through records because most post them in online databases. Kansas property values are public record and there are a number of free county databases, along with those you can subscribe to.

I recommend: DirectPass, Searchsystems.net’s online database, allows you to get information from property assessors in Kansas. It costs about $5 per month and is categorized by municipality. Portico and LoopNet list information about property values in Kansas as well as specific links to property assessors' offices in Kansas.

Use a comparable Kansas property value to determine equity

In the real estate market, you'd expect to pay about the same for two similar investment properties, unless there was a vast difference in the condition of the buildings. You should have the same expectation when it comes to Kansas property assessments. If you think yours is unfairly high, contact the county assessors office to file a grievance.

I recommend: Use Assessor Links USA to access property assessors' offices in Kansas. It's categorized by county. You can also go directly to Sumner County Parcel Search, Leavenworth County Parcel Search, Jefferson County Parcel Search or Sedgwick County for property assessors offices in Kansas.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you can't find online property tax records, Kansas property assessors are available over the phone or in person. Contact them to set up an appointment.

Property assessors offices in Kansas education and training will teach you how to appraise personal and real 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 work in property assessors offices for Kansas 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 Kansas, 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 Kansas

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

I recommend: The Kansas City Kansas Community College is approved to provide both pre-license and continuing education for appraisers in Kansas. Bobbitt and Company offers qualifying education for appraisers in Kansas.

Get on-the-job training for Kansas property assessment

Job training for property appraisers in Kansas has specific requirements, as laid out by the KREAFB. 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: Career Web School summarizes the specific work experience for each type of appraiser in Kansas. The Kansas Website provides the complete regulations for the KREAB which contains the requirement for supervised work experience.

Become a licensed Kansas property assessor

Kansas recognizes three categories of appraisers. A licensed appraiser may appraise federally funded property. A residential appraiser can perform appraisals on residential property and a general appraiser can perform appraisals on all types of property.

I recommend: The Kansas Real Estate Appraisal Board defines the appraiser classifications in Kansas. The Center for Real Estate provides a quick reference for the licensing requirements of each class of appraiser.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Kansas 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.

Kansas property assessors offices laws and regulations control the methods that property assessors use to estimate the value of real property. Kansas property appraisers usually perform assessments against a given standard, such as fair market value, distressed sale value or foreclosure value. The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) provides quality control standards for the appraisal of real property in the United States. The USPAP does not actually define standards of value for property assessments, but does provide guidance on how they should be defined.

There are many different sources of information on the laws regarding property assessors in Kansas. These sources include the three following categories:

1. The Kansas state government. These sources provide the state laws and other official information on Kansas property assessments.
2. County and municipal governments in Kansas. These sources provide the rules and procedures for a specific property assessors office in Kansas.
3. Law firms in Kansas that specialize in property law. Many of these firms provide general information on the property tax laws in Kansas.
   

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Examine the laws that control assessors of property values in Kansas

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

I recommend: The Kansas Legislature establishes the assessment of property taxes in Chapter 79 of the Kansas Revised Statutes. The Kansas Court of Tax Appeals provides the rules and procedures for appealing a property tax assessment in Kansas.

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

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

I recommend: The Butler County Appraiser's Office provides a guide to property taxes for homeowners in Kansas. The Cloud County Appraiser describes the legal duties of appraisers as specified by Kansas law.

Review Kansas property assessor laws from law firms in Kansas

Kansas lawyers who specialize in property law frequently offer summaries on the property taxes that are assessed in Kansas. They also may write articles on specific issues regarding property taxes in Kansas.

I recommend: Stinson Morrison Hecker provides news on the property tax assessment laws in Kansas. Barber Emerson has contributing authors for a variety of publications on real estate, probate and trust law in Kansas.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The laws on Kansas property assessment are generally guided by the Financial Institutions Reform and Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) of 1989. This federal legislation requires all states to have a system to certify and license real estate appraisers. Prior to the passage of the FIRREA, there were no national standards for ensuring the quality of real estate appraisers in the United States.