Skip to content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer

Board of Assessment Review

The Board of Assessment Review (BAR) is a five member board that hears assessment grievances. Each member serves for a four year term and may be renewed for additional years.

The BAR meets each year on the fourth Tuesday of May.

Steps In the Process

Current Assessments:  Notification of Assessment from the Assessor’s office.

Each year, in the month of April , the Stanford Town Assessor sends all residents         an updated notification on their current assessment for the prior year as listed in the Tentative Assessment Roll, which lists assessment information for every property for the current year.

The Tentative Assessment Roll is available in the Assessor’s Office and on-line through the Dutchess County website at https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Real-Property-Tax/assessment-rolls.htm beginning on May 1st. The Assessment Roll is also available in the Town Clerk’s office during office hours.

The valuation date is the date your property is officially appraised and priced by the assessor.The valuation date on property taxes is July 1st of the previous calendar year.  The taxable date for property taxes is March 1st of the current year.

Informal Assessment Review.

If you feel that the assessor’s estimated market value of your home is too high, then you should contact the assessor’s office to learn the procedures for an informal assessment review.

During the informal review process, you and the assessor can each discuss your property’s characteristics and how the market value estimate was determined.

If you remain unsatisfied with the assessor’s assessment, you have the right to a formal administrative and judicial review of the assessment with the  Board of Assessment Review.

 

                             Board of Assessment Review Process

The BAR (Board of Assessment Review) meeting (Grievance Day) is held on the fourth Tuesday of May, annually.  The sessions are from 1PM-3PM and 7PM-9PM and are open to the public and held in person at Town Hall. (Note: In certain circumstances (such as in 2020, during COVID) the meetings may be held via Zoom or teleconference and not live in the Town Hall.)

Please call the Assessor’s office for information and scheduling appearance time at Grievance Day. All notices will be posted on the town website and also by legal notice in the Poughkeepsie Journal.

To grieve your taxes on Grievance Day, the following is the process you must follow to present your case for a possible change:

  1. Estimated Market Value

If you wish to grieve your assessment with the Board, you should know your home’s estimated market value.

We strongly recommend you use the sales comparison approach to estimate your home’s market value.  It’s best to use comparables from the same tax year you are grieving.

Try to find sales of least three properties that are comparable to your home. Look for these characteristics in determining whether the sold property is comparable: lot size, square footage ,home style, age, location.

Comparable sales can be found at our Local assessors’ office. They will provide lists of recent sales that you can browse and compare to the assessment roll or you may look at Online databases. Search there using keywords such as “comparable home sales”.

  1. Grievance Forms

You must fill out a NYS Grievance Form (RP-524). This and the Grievance Booklets are available on-line at:  http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/publications/orpts/grievancebooklet.pdf.

Grievance forms must be received by the Assessor by the close of the BAR meeting on the fourth Tuesday of May. Forms received after the close of the annual BAR meeting will be rejected as untimely. If you have any questions or need information, contact the Assessor’s Office at 845.868.7027 ext. 7

                                         Definition Of Terms

Here are some important definitions of terms that may seem interchangeable but are, in fact,exclusive:

A comparable sale is commonly understood as homes located in the same area and very similar in size, condition and features as your home (i.e. number of bedrooms, bathrooms, acreage).

A real estate appraisal, property valuation or land valuation is the process of developing an opinion of value, for real property. Real estate transactions often require appraisals because they occur infrequently and every property is unique.  These appraisals are created by professionals that specialize in appraising real estate/property and are often used to determine the market value of your property.

A home assessment means the value of the home as determined by the local assessor for the purpose of determining property taxes.  Home assessments are used only to calculate property tax amounts.

A common misunderstanding that the BAR sees on Grievance Day, is the thought that an assessed value of other properties is allowable for use to support the value of your property. This is not allowable comparision.

The below excerpt is from form RP-524-Ins (3/09) the  NYS Grievance Form

( Link to the Grievance Forms (RP-524) itself: rp524 grievance form )

         INFORMATION NECESSARY TO DETERMINE VALUE OF PROPERTY

(If additional explanation or documentation is necessary, please attach)

  1. Purchase price of property: …….……………………………………….. $
  2. Date of purchase:
  3. Terms Cash Contract Other (explain)
  4. Relationship between seller and purchaser (parent-child, in-laws, siblings, etc.):
  5. Personal property, if any, included in purchase price (furniture, livestock, etc.; attach list and sales tax receipt):
  6. Property has been recently offered for sale (attach copy of listing agreement, if any): When and for how long: How offered: Asking price: $
  7. Property has been recently appraised (attach copy):

When:

By Whom:

Purpose of appraisal:

Appraised value: $

  1. Description of any buildings or improvements located on the property, including year of construction and present condition:
  2. Buildings have been recently remodeled, constructed or additional improvements made: Cost $ Date Started: Date Completed: Complainant should submit construction cost details where available.
  3. Property is income producing (e.g., leased or rented), commercial or industrial property and the complainant is prepared to present detailed information about the property including rental income, operating expenses, sales volume and income statements.
  4. Additional supporting documentation (check if attached)

NOTE:  As already stated previously,another property’s assessed value does not represent sufficient documentation to support market value for your property

In Conclusion, be sure to review all of the recommended forms and documents carefully so that any supporting documentation you provide is appropriate.  Failure to provide appropriate supporting documentation in line with the NYS guidelines may hinder your success for a favorable outcome.

Members:  Sara Love, Robert Perri, Steve Bruman, Stacey Adams, Cathy Dillinger  Secretary: Ritamary Bell