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Darien's Recent Revaluation Shows Property Values Have Declined Since 2008

DARIEN, Conn. – Most of Darien's property values dropped slightly compared with their values in 2008, according to the town's recent revaluation. 

The tax assessor is available in Darien Town Hall Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The tax assessor is available in Darien Town Hall Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Photo Credit: File

“You might say that the prices have stabilized or have even gone up since 2008, but the fact shows that as of Oct. 1, on average, they are still below 2008,” Tax Assessor Anthony Homicki said.

Most home assessments in Darien have dropped 3 percent to 8 percent since the last revaluation in 2008. These averages vary depending on neighborhood and the sales prices of homes in each area over the last 12 to 24 months.

Darien conducted a revaluation of all properties in town earlier this year. State law requires towns to reassess values on all properties once every five years. These appraisals are used to calculate property assessments for tax purposes until the next revaluation in 2018.

Property owners should have received notice of their new assessments in October. These will be used to calculate tax bills starting next July. Landowners can appeal these assessments formally next year in sessions with the newly elected Board of Assessment Appeals. Applications for appeals are due by Feb. 20.

Residents who still have questions about the revaluation can contact the town’s tax assessor before the deadline.

The final impact the revaluation will have on tax bills will not be clear until the Grand List is finalized on Jan. 31, 2014, Homicki said. Even then, appeals may change the effect slightly before the mill rate is set in the spring.

Homicki also offered advice for property owners to see whether they may have an incorrect assessment.

First, homeowners should check to see if the town has the correct information on file for their homes. Parcel size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms and other amenities are all part of the calculation for an assessment. The field card information for each property is available at the town website.

Residents can also look up recent property sales in their neighborhoods through the assessor’s online database. Property assessments are calculated based on recent sales in the area with similar features. Appraisers also look at the recently sold property’s size, number of bedrooms and parcel size and adjust accordingly.

Homicki and other town officials held an information session for residents last week. Those who missed it or still have questions can schedule a meeting before the appeals process by contacting the Tyler Co., which did the appraisals used in the revaluation, or the Tax Assessor’s office. The Tyler Co. can be reached at 877-394-3379 and the Assessor’s Office is available at 203-656-7310.

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