Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Tax Reappraisal 2026 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County presents 2026 reappraisal schedule; staff outlines outreach, Helene damage accounting and improvements
Summary
Buncombe County property appraiser Eric Kreger presented the schedule of values and reappraisal approach for the 2026 general reappraisal, described enhancements to data and public outreach, and explained how Hurricane Helene damage was handled for current tax bills.
Eric Kreger, Buncombe County's tax assessor, briefed commissioners on the 2026 reappraisal schedule of values and the office's preparations, including data improvements, staff additions, vendor tools and community outreach.
Kreger said the North Carolina Department of Revenue required a reappraisal after the county fell below an 85% ratio of assessed to market value and that the county's valuation date will be Jan. 1, 2026. "General statute 01/5283 states that all property shall be appraised at its true value in money," Kreger said, explaining statutory basis cited in the presentation. He described several enhancements since the last reappraisal: hiring additional appraisal and data staff, using machine-learning audit tools to check data and ratios, improving GIS market-area delineation, adding more site visits and street-level and aerial imagery, and overhauling public-facing appeal materials.
Helene damage and current tax bills: Kreger said assessors applied damage-related value adjustments for properties that had reported Helene storm damage and that those changes were reflected in current tax bills where damage was recorded on Jan. 1, 2025. He said the office will continue to track permits and perform site visits to account for lingering damage.
Public process and schedule: Kreger said the office will advertise the schedule and hold a public hearing on Sept. 2, with the board able to adopt the schedule at its Sept. 16 meeting, which would open the appeals period. He said the office will continue outreach through community meetings, media, and increased site visits. Kreger added the office will perform ratio studies before and after reappraisal to monitor accuracy and adjust methodology as needed.
Ending: Commissioners asked about luxury properties, manufactured/modular homes and staffing; Kreger said the office added appraisers focused on higher-end properties, added a reappraisal analyst and improved vendor and internal tools to support fine-tuning and audits.
