Residents press Bladen County commissioners over large revaluations; appraisal firm defends methods
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Summary
At an April meeting, dozens of residents described steep property-value increases and asked commissioners to extend appeals; county-hired appraisers said mass-appraisal followed state rules, that many appeals have been adjusted, and commissioners set board-of-equalization dates through May.
Hundreds of Bladen County property owners raised concerns at the commissioners— meeting about recently mailed tax cards showing large increases in assessed value, and county officials said the appeals process is underway.
Residents including Linwood Shirley described near- or multi-fold increases in assessed values for raw land and houses, saying the changes would hurt elderly and low-income homeowners. "My house went up 74,000 in the value," Shirley said, asking the board to ensure in-person inspections and to consider consequences for residents who lack resources to appeal. Commissioners urged property owners to file appeals and provide documentation to staff for in-person review.
Why it matters: The county is conducting a mandated revaluation and state law requires assessments reflect market value; significant increases can raise tax bills unless the board reduces the tax rate or the appeals process results in changes. Commissioners said the reassessment used desktop mass-appraisal methods and that assessors will visit properties as appeals proceed.
Piner Appraisal, the contractor handling the reassessment, presented methodology and fieldwork results and answered extended questions from commissioners and residents. Gary Piner said the firm has worked through roughly 300 appeals and that overall ratio numbers "look good," and urged patience while the firm and county process appeals. Project manager Paul Christensen said the firm analyzed roughly 1,408 residential sales from 2022 through the most recent period and emphasized limited supply and continued buyer demand as drivers of higher market values.
Commissioners and staff detailed next steps: the board approved a schedule for the Board of Equalization and Review (BOER) with tentative dates in May and noted the statutory deadline for filing appeals. Commissioners said county staff will continue to accept appeal filings, arrange property inspections where warranted and report back to the board before finalizing any tax-rate decisions.
What commissioners said: The chair told residents the county did not request the revaluation and that the state mandate compelled it; commissioners repeatedly reassured residents the county will continue working appeals and "do our best to make sure nothing falls through the cracks." Several commissioners said they are concerned about impacts on elderly homeowners and will look for ways to mitigate hardship while complying with state requirements.
Next steps: Residents can file appeals through the tax office up to the BOER adjournment; the board expects additional appeal hearings in early to mid-May and said it will consider any adjustments that reasonable evidence supports.
