The Miami County Auditor’s office recently completed a property reappraisal. Now, property taxes have shot up, leaving many residents paying more than they expected.
In Ohio, county auditors are required to reappraise all property taxes every three years—a triennial reappraisal—and again every 6—a sexennial. Tax year 2022, payable this year, was a triennial reappraisal in Miami County.
It showed residential property values had risen almost 25%. Some neighborhoods have seen an even higher increase.
The result? Taxes for all property types rose by nearly 11%.
“Over the last three years, we’ve seen rising sales prices on residential properties because of the exploding housing market,” Matthew Gearhardt, the Miami County Auditor, said. “So that is the basis of why property values have increased so much and therefore property taxes as well.”
The most recent triennial took a look at sales over the 2019 through 2021 period. As the housing market began to heat up, prices rose.
“We’re still seeing sales come through our office where property sales are still above our new values in most cases,” Gearhardt said. “Properties aren’t sitting on the market very long, and the property may be sold in 24 hours and have competing bids that are above what the asking prices were imposed based on property.”
If you live in Miami County and disagree with your property’s increase, you can request a review. On the county auditor’s website, you can find a file called the DTE1 complaint form.
“The burden of proof lies with the property owner,” Gearhardt warned. “[It’s] on them to provide evidence and prove why they feel that the value we placed on their property is not correct or justified.”
This can be done by comparing the prices of similar properties, recent balance sales or by an appraisal by a state certified appraiser.
The DTE1 form must be turned into the auditor’s office by March 31.
