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Franklin County: valuation notices set for March 1; appraisal date is Jan. 1, 2026
Summary
The Franklin County Appraiser's Office said valuation notices will be mailed March 1 and that the appraisal date for 2026 valuations is Jan. 1, 2026. Property owners have 30 days from mailing to request an informal hearing; the office reported a 2025 midyear median sales ratio of 96.6.
Unidentified Speaker, an Appraiser's Office representative, told listeners that "although valuation notices will be mailed on March 1, property owners are reminded that the appraisal date of their valuation is effective as of 01/01/2026." The presenter said sales that occur after Jan. 1 cannot be used as comparable sales for 2026 valuations.
The presenter summarized recent market trends in Franklin County, reporting that "residential real estate sales price growth in Franklin County continued to decline in 2025 compared to 2024," with average sales price growth falling "from 5.37% to 4.74%." They also said sales volume declined further and that "in 2026, the majority of residential appraised values increased by 6% to 8%," with the land-value component driving most of the increase.
Explaining how the county measures valuation accuracy, the presenter described the sales-ratio calculation and gave an example: "For example, a home valued at $98,000 that sold for a $100,000 would have a sales ratio of 98%, indicating the home was undervalued by 2%." They reported Franklin County's 2025 midyear median ratio as 96.6 and noted the county's acceptable range is 90 to 110, which they said indicates current estimates are about "3.4% under market value." The presenter added that final results of the annual ratio study will be published in July.
On legal and procedural steps, the speaker reminded owners that "property owners' notification of the valuation of the property is a requirement of Kansas law" and that statutes allow appeals when notices are mailed. They stated plainly that "property owners have 30 days from the date mailed to request an informal hearing with the county appraiser staff," and that questions about property characteristics or values are welcome at the appraiser's office at any time.
The presentation emphasized that averages can hide variation within the county: "When dealing with averages or typical values, that means some properties may see larger or smaller increases. Location obviously has a large part in value." The office encouraged owners who disagree with valuations to use the informal hearing process described in the mailed notice. Final ratio-study results and any further guidance will be released when the annual report is published in July.
