Definition of "Assessment ratio"

Myrna  Strain real estate agent

Written by

Myrna Strainelite badge icon

Watson Realty Corp

When a real estate owner wants to know what their property tax liability is, they calculate the assessment ratio for their property. An assessment ration is a relationship between a real estate's assessed valuation and its market value. In order to know what is the assessment ratio for any personal property or real estate, a homeowner needs to learn what the assessed value of the property is and its market value. In order to discover a property’s assessment ratio, one needs to divide the assessed value of the property by the asking price of the property. The assessment ratio is rarely at 100%, as the two values rarely match. So let’s see how the assessment ratio works.

How does the assessment ratio work?

As mentioned above, the math to discover the property’s assessment ratio is relatively simple. Getting the two values can be slightly trickier. 

Firstly, you need to know that the assessed value is a value that the authorities, in this case, a government assessor, sets for the property annually to calculate the annual property tax of the owner. In order to calculate the assessed value of a property, the assessor needs the property’s market value, which is multiplied by the assessment rate. The assessment rate is set at the district or county level.

The second element of the equation is the market value of the property. That is relatively straightforward as it is the actual price of the property if it were put on the market. For this, one needs to consider the supply and demand present on the market at that time, the structure of the real estate, materials used, aesthetics, etc. 

The difference between a property’s market value and its assessed value gives homeowners a good understanding of the market’s current condition, discouraged or promising. If the two values are equal or close to being, then the market is promising; if the values are distant, the market is discouraged.

The formula for the assessment ratio is: 

Market Value/Assessed Value = Assessment Ratio%

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Wondering what is a quitclaim deed? Well, the best quitclaim deed definition is something like a legal document used when someone is transferring a real estate property to another person. ...

Real estate artificial intelligence refers to the application of artificial intelligence technologies and algorithms in the field of real estate. It involves using advanced computational ...

You’ll find the most common definition and use of the term ‘perimeter’ in mathematics, more precisely geometry, to determine an item’s or land’s surface area. ...

Expected market value of property if sold today. ...

Builder's ten-year guarantee that their workmanship, materials, and construction are up to established standards. The HOW provides reimbursement for the cost of remedying specified defects. ...

An opening that lets the outside air come in or out of a structure. A ventilation fan lets the structure have access to outside air when the switch is in open position. ...

Amounts received from the sale or disposal of real property less all relevant deductions (direct costs associated with the sale or disposal). ...

Securities supported by a pool of mortgages. The principal and interest are due monthly in the mortgages and are passed through to the investors who bought the pool. ...

Area or county used in the census or other data gathering functions that has a population of 50,000 inhabitants or more. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions