Often the Assessor’s building records are not correct because the Assessor is a mass appraisal organization and either the work was done too quickly, or the information changed or there was information that slipped through the cracks and was never processed. There could be any number of reasons for this however the good news is that the solution is simple For every property there is a building record on file which includes at least diagram of the shell of the structure and a description. Some Assessor’s Offices keep much more detailed records depending on their tools, work load and staff. However, all records for your home are for valuation purposes even though often other real estate professionals use these records to verify home records. From the diagram the square footage of the building is calculated and the description will include the type of property, the use type, and any other information that may be relevant to the property and its value. These are the records that most real estate transactions are based on even though the Assessor makes no representation of having complete information for valuation purposes. The information is meant for assessment purposes only, however in reality it is the practice of real estate officials to use the information as official for purchases, sales, re-finances and other transactions. Meaning having your records accurate will more than likely affect the value of your home since the banks, buyers, sellers, etc. all use these records to verify what is on your property.

When the records for your property are incorrect it is very simple to change and/or update them. Simply contact your county Assessor’s Office via the internet or phone and ask to have the records updated. Within the Assessor’s Office this is called a public service request and will be forwarded to an appraiser who will either speak to you and/or make an appointment to visit your property to measure or see what the differences are and then make the adjustments accordingly. Very often the Assessor will take your word for it if it is something simple such as a bedroom count update. This is a very simple process and can easily be handled. If there is an addition to your property that you constructed and was never assessed for this could result in an increase in your tax base however, if the error is the Assessor’s error the statute of limitations so ask about this when making your inquiry. However, if the changes were done before you purchased the property then it is considered to be maintenance before transfer and since you purchased the property with the construction there, no assessment would be added in California. The reason for this is because you paid for what you have and so there really has been no increase in value as opposed to if you added then there is an increase in the value. The Assessor may ask for information pertaining to the permit or documentation as to what the property was when you received it such as the listing however this will vary case to case. Often, the Assessor will go off of your word and will update the records accordingly. This is very common and a simple procedure, simply ask.

One key factor to remember when looking into this is that the Assessor is separate from your city. The Assessor simply wants accurate records so that any valuation of your home they do is accurate. They normally don’t care if what you have on your property is legal or not because even when illegal it can add value. The Assessor is not normally in the habit of reporting what is on your property to your city so this can be much easier than you think. Often when homeowners think of the Assessor or the City they mistake all of these different government entities as being in communication with one another, normally they aren’t and they are just doing their jobs.
One key factor to remember when looking into this is that the Assessor is separate from your city. The Assessor simply wants accurate records so that any valuation of your home they do is accurate. They normally don’t care if what you have on your property is legal or not because even when illegal it can add value. The Assessor is not normally in the habit of reporting what is on your property to your city so this can be much easier than you think. Often when homeowners think of the Assessor or the City they mistake all of these different government entities as being in communication with one another, normally they aren’t and they are just doing their jobs.