KRT presents 2025 statistical revaluation: town taxable value jumps about 60%; board raises data and scope concerns

KRT Appraisal told the Brentwood Select Board on Sept. 16 that the town’s 2025 statistical revaluation placed taxable value at about $1.18 billion, up from roughly $737 million — an increase KRT characterized as a near-60% market change since the last reevaluation in 2020.

Kevin Lean of KRT said the firm reviewed qualified sales from April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025, updated land and building schedules, and recalibrated valuation models. “We visited all the sales from 04/01/2024 to 03/31/2025 to verify the parcel data and gather information about the sale,” Lean said, and he told the board the assessments meet New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration (DRA) and ASB standards.

KRT requested a two-week contract extension (from Sept. 12 to Sept. 26) to complete a final uses-and-analysis (PAP) manual and to resolve conversion and remote-access issues stemming from the town’s switch from Patriot to Avatar assessment software.

Board members and several residents pressed KRT and town staff on what “field review” meant in practice. KRT described the contract as a statistical update, which inspects and measures sale properties and performs desk reviews of the remainder. Select Board members and residents said multiple property record cards appear to contain inaccurate entries — missing room counts, square footage, or building-permit data — and asked whether KRT had inspected every parcel or only sales used in the statistical model. Lean said the firm inspected sales and conducted field reviews of parcel data, and that the town’s assessor and data-conversion problems contributed to additional work.

The board learned KRT had handled 143 informal hearings (about 7% of parcels) during the notice period; Lean said the firm will provide details on how many hearings led to changes in assessments. Board members also asked for a breakdown of the 60% overall increase by property class; KRT said commercial/residential splits were available on request.

Select Board members directed staff to have select members (identified during the meeting) and town contract staff review the KRT contract and scope before signing any extension. The board asked KRT for a list of building permits and requested that staff confirm whether current permit data are being entered into the assessor system going forward. Several board members also said they would contact the DRA and legal counsel for clarification about the statutory revaluation requirement; a board member later cited RSA 75:8-a in the discussion about how often assessments must be brought to full and true value.

The board did not take a final vote on the contract extension at the meeting; members instead asked for follow-up documentation, a permit list from the town, and a contract-scope review to confirm whether the town had been billed for or promised full parcel measurement or only a statistical update.

KRT figures presented at the meeting: the town’s prior taxable value (2020) $737,041,188; new taxable value (2025) $1,180,618,599 (reported ~60% increase); 143 informal hearings held during notice period (about 7%). The firm will send the final PAP manual to the DRA by October as part of the completion process if an extension is granted.