Guide to Property Assessors Offices - Missouri

Missouri home assessments can be a property owner and investor's best friend
By Kelly Shetsky

Property assessors' offices in Missouri are handled by state's individual counties. More than 2,500 municipality governments rely on property taxes to operate. Taxes are determined by the assessed value of your property and the total of the tax rates set by local government, plus the state tax rate which is 3 cents per $100.

A Missouri property assessment will cause your property taxes to go up or down depending on the true market value placed on your property. It's based on the exterior of your property, so if you've done improvements, you can expect it to increase. Missouri county assessors' records allow you to:

1. Research properties using Missouri property tax records to determine true market value.

2. Determine if a Missouri property assessment is fair based on values of similar properties.

3. Track market trends by comparing similar properties.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know the law regarding Missouri property assessments As you look into investment property in the state of Missouri, you may come across different terms or policies that you're unfamiliar with. It's important that you know the law so you can determine if a Missouri property tax is unfair.

I recommend: Buchanan County: Assessor's Office is one of many Missouri counties that explain how home values are determined. Bankrate.com is a great place to find basic information about Missouri personal property tax; just click on the "Property" tab for more information. The State of Missouri State Tax Commission explains how to appeal an assessment you think is unfair.

Use online tools to obtain records on Missouri land values It's relatively easy to search online records through property assessors' offices in Missouri. There are several options because Missouri property tax records are public information.

I recommend: Skipease is a free service, linking you to a state wide list of assessors and their specific county records. Searchsystems.net’s DirectPass tool links you to information about Missouri county assessors for only $5 a month.

Get specific property tax figures based on another property assessment in Missouri If you're considering an investment property that's similar to others in the neighborhood, it's safe to assume that Missouri assessors will assess your property at an amount comparable to what your neighbors pay.

I recommend: Saint Louis County, Jefferson County and City of St. Louis have online databases on their county assessor websites. Simply type in as much information as you have on the property in question to get comparable values. Other counties require you to contact the assessor directly and request information. Use Assessor Links USA to contact other Missouri assessors.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

Some Missouri assessors may not get around to assessing every property every year. It's important to pay attention to the assessment process so you're not caught off guard by a sharp increase after several years of no valuations.
Missouri property assessors provide other valuable information to the investor including ownership change information, property descriptions and market trend analysis on sales property prices.