Sussex County Property Reassessment: What You Need to Know

Prepared by Square Feet Appraisals in collaboration with Delaware Beaches Online

The Sussex County property reassessment project is nearing its conclusion, with the final phase about to kick off. After years of work, property owners will soon be able to review their new assessments and understand how these changes will impact their tax bills. Here’s what you need to know.

The Countdown Begins

The reassessment project, which has been underway for several years, is the result of a 2018 education funding lawsuit. Sussex County is now entering the last stage, with the appeals process set to begin in March. Nearly 200,000 parcels have been reassessed by Tyler Technologies, and the final assessment rolls have just been presented to the County Council.

Gina A. Jennings, the County’s Finance Director and COO, highlighted that the public is about to see the results of years of hard work. “We’re nearing the end, but a few important steps remain,” Jennings said.

What’s Next? The Appeals Process

The next step for property owners is the appeals process, which will begin in March. If you believe your property’s assessed value is incorrect, you can appeal to the County’s Board of Assessment Review. This is an essential part of the process to ensure everyone’s assessments are fair and accurate. You can review your assessment on the county’s website.

New Tax Calculator

For those wondering how these new assessments will affect their taxes, Sussex County has unveiled a new tax calculator. This tool will give you an estimate of what your future tax bill might look like after the reassessment.

It’s important to note that Sussex County is committed to a “revenue-neutral” position under Delaware law. This means that while property values may have gone up, the tax rate will be adjusted downward to prevent a sudden spike in taxes for property owners.

Currently, the tax rate is set at 44.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. However, under the proposed budget, that rate would drop to just over 2 cents per $100 of value, making the tax rate more manageable for property owners.

Note:

This is just an estimate and doesn’t include any tax assistance programs you may have. It also doesn’t cover extra charges like roads, streetlights, sewer fees, or other assessed services.

Looking Ahead

The final step in the process will be the issuance of new tax bills in August. Before that, the county will finalize property assessments and set the new tax rate following the appeals process.

For property owners eager to see how their taxes will change, visit the Sussex County reassessment website. There, you’ll find more details on how to file an appeal, access the tax calculator, and stay updated on the reassessment timeline.

For more information, visit www.sussexcountyde.gov/reassessment.