Roanoke County sees 6.72% assessment increase for 2026; notices to be mailed Jan. 5

Roanoke County’s Director of Real Estate Valuation, Ken Fay, told the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 16 that the county’s 2026 reassessment shows an overall assessed‑value increase of 6.72.

Fay said residential assessments rose about 6.99% and commercial 4.64%, and he identified a median residential sales price near $350,000. He explained that Virginia requires assessments at 100% of fair market value and that the county’s assessment metrics (median ratio 94%; coefficient of dispersion 6.22%) fall within accepted IAAO standards. Fay said the increase largely reflects market value changes rather than new construction, which accounts for roughly 1% of add‑on value.

Timing and appeals: reassessment notices will be mailed Jan. 5, formal appeals will be accepted Jan. 20–28, and the Board of Equalization will hold hearings on April 30, July 30 and Oct. 29, 2026. Fay also noted the final deadline to appeal through the Board of Equalization is Sept. 11, 2026. He described how new construction and custom homes are captured (at certificate of occupancy) and how appraisal staff use comparable sales, cost data and inspections to determine values.

Supervisors asked about active listings, foreclosure counts and how custom homes and new construction appear in the data; Fay said new construction is added to the tax roll when certificates of occupancy are issued and custom homes may be captured via building‑permit and cost data when sales are limited.

Fay said staff expects market values to stabilize in 2026 as inflation settles and recommended outreach and appeal resources for property owners when notices are mailed.

No vote was required; the board received the reassessment briefing and noted the appeal schedule.