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Beltrami County assessor previews March valuation notices, explains sales-ratio adjustments
Summary
County Assessor Caleb briefed commissioners on the 2025 valuation process, upcoming valuation and classification notices to be mailed March 25, and how the office uses a sales study and sales-ratio targets to set property values.
Caleb, Beltrami County assessor, told the Board of Commissioners that valuation and classification notices are scheduled to be mailed on March 25 and encouraged commissioners to direct taxpayers with questions to his office.
Caleb said the county uses a mass-appraisal process and reviews sales between Oct. 1 and Sept. 30 to develop a sales study that informs adjustments as of the valuation date, Jan. 2. "We value property annually, but we review taxable properties every fifth year and exempt properties every sixth year," he said.
The nut graf: the assessor's office is making sales-driven adjustments so its median sales ratio falls within the state-accepted range (90%–105%), which avoids state board-ordered adjustments that could surprise taxpayers later in the year.
Caleb outlined how the office separates valuation (what the property could sell for based on highest and best use) from classification (how the property is currently used, which affects tax calculations). He described the factors used to estimate building value — construction type, square footage, age, condition, obsolescence — and explained the sales-ratio method used to measure and adjust values.
He said some of this year's largest increases were in commercial parcels: "We started out with a 60% ratio and now we're at 92%" after reassessing noncompliant commercial parcels and updating land values. He also noted rural vacant land (RBL) and seasonal residential recreational (SRR) parcels improved versus last year, with ratios moving from roughly 80% to about 92%–93% in his examples.
The assessor told commissioners to expect taxpayer contacts once notices go out and reminded the board of the local Board of Appeal and Equalization schedule for unresolved disputes. "If we can't resolve an issue in our office at that first level, then we would look at sending them to the local board of appeal and equalization," Caleb said.
Ending: Commissioners asked clarifying questions about acronyms and whether large increases mean continued market movement; Caleb said residential values appear more stable this year while land and commercial values have shown larger adjustments.
