Frequently Asked Questions
Property taxes in Tennessee are determined by an assessment done in Wilson County generally every four years. (The next scheduled assessment was for 2009) The notice you received in the mail this past week is the result of a special assessment called for by the Wilson County Commission and County Mayor.
The appraised value of your property is established during the periodic reappraisal process using current real estate values. These appraisals are done strictly for property tax assessment purposes and are not the same as the appraisal you receive for mortgage purposes. The values will remain constant between appraisal cycles unless there are the property changes (additions, new building, development, etc). Of course new construction is appraised annually and a portion of the property in the county is reviewed every year.
The property tax you pay is not determined by the Property Assessor. Your County commissioner establishes the tax rate. By separating the assessment function from the taxation power property owners are better protected from any unfair treatment.
Your tax bill will not increase because of this new assessment without a public hearing. The County Commissioners cannot adopt a tax rate for the county that will raise more revenue than the previous year without advertising and holding a public hearing.
Do you think your new assessment is too high?
The appraisal process is an estimate of the most probable selling price for the property. It is completed using a mass appraisal technique rather than the appraisal method used when you get a mortgage. Using this mass approach, occasionally, mistakes are made and if you think your property is assessed too high you may want question the value.
Go to my website
Click on the Market Snapshot box on the home page
Fill out the requested property information and submit the form. In less than 30 minutes you will receive a report detailing all the properties that are for sale and that have sold in your area. You can scroll through the results or click on the map to get full details on any property listed. This report will give you a current view of the real estate market and you can compare your home to other similar properties to determine a general idea of its worth.
After reviewing the sales of similar homes in your area you may still believe your property is assessed for too much. If so, the next step is to visit the Property assessor's office. The Wilson County Property Assessor is Jimmy Locke. His office is located on the lower level of the Wilson County Courthouse at 228 East main St Lebanon. The phone number is 444-8661.