Guide to Property Assessors Offices - South Dakota

Compare property worth with South Dakota assessors offices
By Kelly Shetsky

South Dakota assessors usually work for individual counties. They are responsible for going around and checking out all properties within county limits, whether they are parcels of land, homes or businesses. South Dakota property records get updated regularly, especially when it comes to new construction and structural improvements.

There is a lot of information to aid your real estate investments at your South Dakota assessor's office, including parcel maps, records of property value, ownership changes for properties and property descriptions. Assessors also analyze trends in property sales, the cost of building a new property and the average expense for renting property. Assessors help you to:

1. Evaluate whether South Dakota property assessors assess your property fairly.

2. Research properties using South Dakota land values to determine true market worth.

3. Track property market trends by comparing and contrasting similar South Dakota property records.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Educate yourself on how a South Dakota property assessment is done South Dakota property owners may be taxed in several ways by several municipalities. The South Dakota Assessors Office determines the market value of property. There has been a cap on all the taxing districts since 1997. It's equal to the previous year's amount plus the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index, not to exceed 3% and a percentage increase due to new construction.

I recommend: View property tax legislation and tax statistics from the South Dakota Department of Revenue and Regulation Property Tax Division. The South Dakota Municipal League tracks property tax information, too. Bankrate.com explains how property assessments are completed; just click on the "Property" tab for more information.

Use online tools to search a South Dakota property registry Many South Dakota county assessors post tax information online as the information is public record. Some counties offer free tools that allow you to type in search criteria, while others require a subscription.

I recommend: Check out property tax information with the South Dakota Tax Assessor and Property Tax Records Directory. Searchsystems.net, a subscription based service, allows you to obtain property tax information for around $5 a month. LoopNet requires you to register; but there's no charge to use the database.

Determine potential taxes based on similar South Dakota property assessments When buying a home or business, take a look at the South Dakota assessor's records. If he has the comparable property assessed at $100,000, then you can assume that yours will be close to that. If you find that your property assessment is out of line with comparable properties, ask for an informal hearing with the tax assessor. If you can't get one, file a grievance.

I recommend: Review comparable tax records through Florence County's Tax Inquiry tool. Read up on Brown County's appeal process or access their Online Geographic Information System (GIS) tool to search for county property records. Use Minnehaha County's property search tool for a review of comparable properties within this county.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

A South Dakota property assessment doesn't necessarily equal what you'll get for your investment property should you decide to resell. It's usually worth more than your assessment on the real estate market.