Durham tax administrator previews reappraisal: preliminary property values show steep increases

Durham County’s tax administrator told the Board of County Commissioners that the 2025 reappraisal will reset real‑property values to market as of Jan. 1, 2025, and that the numbers residents will see in mailed notices remain projections until finalized.

Kiara Dole explained reappraisals are required at least once every eight years and cover about 127,000 parcels. She said staff analyzed roughly 10,700 qualified sales from 1/1/2023 onward and reviewed more than 20,000 transactions over the past five years. On projected totals, she reported countywide 2024 real‑property value was $44,416,566,453 and that staff’s current projection for 2025 real property was $75,761,271,146 — a roughly 71% increase compared with 2019/2024 baselines. She stressed: these figures are still projections until notices are mailed and exemptions/exclusions are finalized.

Dole outlined what property owners can do when they receive notices: review the county’s records for accuracy, compare nearby qualified sales, and file an appeal online or in person. She said the notice mailing will include a brochure explaining reappraisal steps, appeals information and links to online tools. Staff also said there will be informational meetings and a schedule included in the mailer for property owners to meet with real‑property staff (a non‑appeal informational session).

Why this matters: large valuation changes can produce "sticker shock" for taxpayers and prompt a high volume of appeals and public inquiries. The board discussed how the valuation notices are informational — the actual tax owed will depend on the adopted tax rate after the budget process.

Next steps: staff will mail change‑of‑value notices, host informational meetings and provide outreach materials that explain appeals, exemptions and tax‑relief programs.