Making the most of property assessors offices - New Hampshire 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.

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

Action Steps
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Learn more about the laws regarding New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration provides links to statutes concerning property taxes. Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell provides an analysis of the property tax laws in New Hampshire.

Find out how professional appraisers determine New Hampshire 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: Atlas Appraisals in Hudson describes several approaches to property appraisals among other related resources. Avitar Associates provides a detailed description of different types of appraisal processes.

Learn how your county performs a New Hampshire 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 Goffstown Assessor's Office offers links to information on property taxes including a FAQ. The Hillsboro Assessing Department provides a summary of the appraisal process and property tax exemptions.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check with your New Hampshire 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' offices in New Hampshire are handled by municipalities. Tax bills go out on a quarterly, semi-annually or on an annual basis. Property assessors offices in New Hampshire assess value based on 100% of the full market value.

New Hampshire property assessments do cause your property taxes to go up or down depending on the true market value. Improvements increase your tax assessment. It pays to familiarize yourself with New Hampshire property values because these records can help to:

1. Determine if a New Hampshire property assessment is fair based on comparisons with similar properties.

2. Research properties using records from property assessors in New Hampshire to determine true market value.

3. Compare and contrast similar properties to track property market trends.

Action Steps
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Read up on the law regarding New Hampshire land value

It's important that you research the New Hampshire law as you invest in potential property so that you can determine if a property assessment in New Hampshire is unfair and you can appeal.

I recommend: Bankrate.com is a great place to find an easy-to-understand explanation of property values in New Hampshire. The City of Clairmont’s Tax Assessor site is one of many that post property tax assessment information for the state. The New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration provides detailed tax law information and procedures along with advice on how to file an appeal.

Use online records to obtain New Hampshire property assessors records

It's relatively easy to search online records through property assessors' offices in New Hampshire. There are several options because New Hampshire land values are public record. Some counties have free online databases and there are others you can subscribe to.

I recommend: DirectPass, Searchsystems.net’s online database, allows you to get information about NH land records. It costs about $5 per month and is categorized by county. Skipease is a good website to use, too, because it links you to the state wide list of assessors. Plus, it's free.

Estimate property taxes based on another property assessment in New Hampshire

Property assessors in New Hampshire assess property based off of similar property, so if you're considering an investment property, run comparable property searches.

I recommend: Vision Appraisal lists all New Hampshire towns and municipalities for property assessment. Access the county-based property assessors offices in New Hampshire just by clicking on the appropriate link. Type in a specific New Hampshire address into the Intelius tracking tool.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  It's important to note that the value New Hampshire property assessors give your property is not necessarily indicative of the true value of your property. Usually, assessments are lower than what you're property is worth because it's based on the exterior of the structure only.
• •  New Hampshire property assessors provide other valuable information to the investor besides property tax records including ownership change information, property descriptions and market trend analysis on sales property prices.

Property assessors offices in New Hampshire education and training will teach you how to appraise 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 property assessors offices for New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire, 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 New Hampshire

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

I recommend: The LeMay School of Real Estate is approved by the New Hampshire Real Estate Appraiser Board (NHREAB) to provide qualifying courses for appraisers in New Hampshire. The American Real Estate Academy provides all of the courses required to become an appraiser in New Hampshire.

Get on-the-job training for New Hampshire property assessment

Job training for property appraisers in New Hampshire has specific requirements, as laid out by the New Hampshire 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 NHREAB summarizes the specific requirements for the supervision of an apprentice. Chapter 300 of the administrative rules of the NHREAB provides the complete details of apprentice supervision of appraisers in New Hampshire.

Become a licensed New Hampshire property assessor

New Hampshire recognizes four categories of appraisers. An apprentice is in the process of completing the requirements for one of the appraiser types. A licensed residential appraiser may perform appraisals for any non-complex residential property valued at less than $1,000,000. A certified residential appraiser may appraise all residential properties and a certified general appraiser may perform appraisals for all property.

I recommend: REcampus provides the educational requirements for each class of appraiser in New Hampshire. Shurtleff Appraisal summarizes the licensure requirements for appraisers in New Hampshire.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  New Hampshire 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.

New Hampshire property assessors offices laws and regulations deal with the property taxes that derive from the estimated value of real property. Property assessors in the United States routinely assess property according to the fair market standard, although there are other standards, such as the distressed value and the foreclosure value. All federally regulated institutions must perform property appraisals with a licensed appraiser and New Hampshire generally requires licensed appraisers for all appraisals. New Hampshire property laws also specify the conditions under which a property owner may qualify for a homestead exemption or other property tax exemption.

You can find New Hampshire property assessor laws in a variety of locations. These sources may be classified according to the types of laws they cover and include the three following categories:

1. The New Hampshire state government. These sources provide laws and other information on New Hampshire property assessments that apply to the entire state.
2. County and municipal governments in New Hampshire. Each jurisdiction has its own procedures for implementing laws on property assessments.
3. Law firms that practice property law. Law firms in New Hampshire frequently offer information for resolving disputes on property taxes.
   

Action Steps
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Examine the laws that control property values in New Hampshire

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

I recommend: The New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration has links to specific New Hampshire laws that deal with property assessment. The New Hampshire Local Government Center provides a legal analysis of property taxes on non-profit organizations and cites the relevant laws in New Hampshire.

Study the procedures for assessing New Hampshire land values in a particular jurisdiction

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

I recommend: The City of Claremont Tax Assessor provides a summary of the statutes that relate to property assessment in New Hampshire. The Town of Derry Assessor provides the applicable statute for each type of property tax exemption that is available in Derry.

Review laws on property assessors in New Hampshire from law firms

New Hampshire lawyers who specialize in property law frequently offer summaries on property assessments and property taxes in New Hampshire. They also may write articles on specific issues regarding property taxes in New Hampshire.

I recommend: McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton offers an article on changes in property tax laws for health care providers in New Hampshire. Pierce Atwood has an analysis of property tax laws that apply to pollution control facilities.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The quality of New Hampshire property assessment is controlled by the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). It was developed in the 1980s in response to the savings and loan crisis that was occurring in the United States at that time. The Appraiser Foundation (TAF) is the current administrator of the USPAP.