Making the most of property assessors offices - Nebraska 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.

Nebraska property assessors offices 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 Nebraska assessors offices 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 property value by the Nebraska assessor.
3. Appeal the assessor’s valuation of your property if needed. NE property assessors have a specific procedure for accomplishing this.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn more about the laws regarding Nebraska 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 Property Assessment Division of the Department of Revenue provides regulations regarding property taxes in addition to current updates. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development offers a detailed discussion of the purpose and disposition of property taxes in Nebraska.

Find out how professional appraisers determine Nebraska 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: Rousek Appraisal Services discusses the appraisal process and the reasons for getting an appraisal. Jim Bain Appraisal in North Platte describes three approaches to the appraisal process.

Learn how your county performs a Nebraska 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 Antelope County Assessor details the appeal process for a property appraisal. The Douglas County Assessor provides an overview of the appraisal process in that county.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check with your Nebraska 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.

Nebraska assessors offices keep track of the ownership changes for properties, keep up-to-date maps of property lines, and maintain property descriptions. A Nebraska property assessor also analyzes trends in property sales prices, the costs of constructing a new property, and the average expense for renting property. She has a number of responsibilities to the county in which they serve.

There are many ways that the information obtained through property assessment in Nebraska is useful. Consider the following when dealing with Nebraska assessors:

1. Property assessors in Nebraska consider the replacement costs to rebuild.

2. NE property assessors look at how much rental income the property could bring.

3. Nebraska assessors examine how much similar commercial properties in the area sell for.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Access property information through the Nebraska assessors office

It's important that you research a property's history before making an investment. You need to know how many times there were changes in ownership, any construction done on the property, and changes in Nebraska land values over the years. Be sure to compare the assessed value of other properties in the area as well.

I recommend: Read the article on the website for Nebraska Unicameral Legislature that details the property tax process. Contact your Nebraska county assessor's office for more information regarding your business' property taxes. A list of contact information for assessors in each Nebraska county can is available on the Nebraska Department of Revenue - Property Assessment Division's website.

Know your rights under Nebraska property assessment regulations

Knowledge of the laws and regulations that go into property assessment in Nebraska will help you to understand the calculation of the property tax you pay each year and where that money goes. Additionally, there are a number of tax exemptions that can lower your property tax dues, providing you meet the eligibility requirements.

I recommend: The Nebraska Real Property Appraiser Board provides a directory of appraisers by county. If you intend on appealing the property value determined by your assessor, read the Information Guide provided by the Nebraska Department of Property Assessment & Taxation for details on the property valuation appeal process.

Check the accuracy of your NE property assessment

There is a possibility that local Nebraska property assessors offices can calculate an inaccurate property value. If you have concern that the assessed value of your property is inaccurate, hire an appraiser to provide a second opinion. If there is a discrepancy, the appraisal provides proof of a more accurate Nebraska property value, and you can file an appeal with your local property assessors offices in Nebraska.

I recommend: Visit the KnowX Nebraska Property website for real estate records in your area as a basis of comparison for your property. You can also try AppraiserUSA.com for a list or appraisers in Nebraska. Access the Nebraska Department of Property Assessment & Taxation website for complete information on Nebraska statutes regarding property assessment and taxation.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Always pay your Nebraska property tax each year by the deadline to avoid penalties. Doing so also helps the credit score for your business.

Property assessors offices in Nebraska education and training 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 work in Nebraska assessors offices 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 Nebraska, 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.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Complete the courses needed to work in Nebraska property assessments

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

I recommend: The Appraisal Institiute is approved by the Nebraska Appraisal Board to provide qualifying courses for appraisers in Nebraska. Bobbitt and Company offers courses in real estate appraisal that have been approved as qualifying credit in several states, including Nebraska.

Get on-the-job training for Nebraska property assessment

Job training for property appraisers in Nebraska has specific requirements, as laid out by the Nebraska 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: The Nebraska Real Property Appraiser Act provides the required work experience of all levels of appraisers in Nebraska. Title 298 of the Nebraska Administrative Code specifies the type of experience need for appraisers and the manner in which it must be documented.

Become a licensed Nebraska property assessor

Nebraska recognizes five categories of appraisers. A trainee must work under the direct supervision of a licensed appraiser. A registered real property appraiser can appraise residential property valued at less than $250,000. A licensed residential real property appraiser can appraise residential property valued at less than $1,000,000. A certified residential real property appraiser can appraise residential property of any value. A certified general real property appraiser may appraise any type of property.

I recommend: REcampus summarizes the educational requirements of each category of appraiser in Nebraska. The Trans-American Institute of Professional Studies provides the specific courses needed by appraisers in Nebraska.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Nebraska property assessors may choose to become a member of a national or regional assessor association. This is especially useful when an assessors license is not mandatory as it allows assessors to distinguish themselves. Full membership in a professional organization usually requires significantly more education and experience than the minimum licensing requirements of the Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB). Many of these associations also offer a membership category specifically for trainees.

Nebraska property assessors offices laws and regulations control the methods that property assessors use to estimate the value of real property. Nebraska 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 the Nebraska property assessor. These sources include the three following categories:

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

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Examine the laws that control assessors of Nebraska property values

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

I recommend: The Nebraska Legislature establishes the functions of property assessors in Nebraska under Chapter 77, Section 1330 of the Nebraska Revised Statute. The Nebraska Department of Revenue provides links to specific laws in Nebraska that deal with property assessment.

Study the procedures for conducting NE property assessments in a particular jurisdiction

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

I recommend: The Dawes County Assessor provides the specific statute that establishes the duties of the county assessor in Nebraska. The Frontier County Assessor describes the regulations for property assessment as required by Nebraska statute.

Review NE property assessors laws from law firms in Nebraska

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

I recommend: McGrath North practices real estate law and publishes articles on property assessment in Nebraska. Simmons Olsen Law Firm provides an article on making tax-free exchanges of real estate under Nevada property law.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The laws on Nebraska 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.