BOISE, Idaho — Idahoans are watching their property values continue to rise. However, if homeowners want to know what a home sold for in their neighborhood, that information may be hard to find. Idaho is a non-disclosure state, meaning the final sale costs on a home is not public knowledge.
With Ada County assessing home values for tax purposes earlier this spring, those looking to appeal may be having a hard time without comparable home sales available.
Real estate agent Stacey Devereaux knows it all too well and told KTVB that she has appealed against the county and won her appeal two of the last three years.
“I feel that as an agent I am armed with that information and the general public isn’t,” Devereaux said.
It’s resulted in annual savings between $800 to $900, which isn't a story that shocks Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade.
On the other side of the coin, there are plenty of homes that sell for more than what the county assessed. In his 27 years as the county assessor, Idaho has always been a non-disclosure state.
It’s a balancing act of how much privacy are people willing to give up in order to have access to more information. McQuade said it's not necessary, and there are other ways to get the necessary information to accurately determine the value of your home, such as getting help.
“Quite often people come to an appeal and have talked to a real estate or broker. And I know that they are sharing information at that point,” McQuade said.
Ultimately, Devereaux and McQuade do fundamentally agree on one thing; people want to be treated fairly.
The deadline to appeal the assessment of a home is June 28 at 5 p.m.
If a homeowner does want to appeal, they should start by calling the number on their assessment notice, according to McQuade. He said the earlier, the better.
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