Georgia Property Tax Assessments

🏠 Market Value and Assessed Value Are Not the Same Thing

One of the most common misunderstandings in property taxation is the assumption that market value and assessed value mean the same thing. While they are related, they serve different purposes.

Market value is an estimate of what a property might sell for under typical conditions. Counties use mass appraisal methods—analyzing sales data across neighborhoods rather than individual appraisals—to estimate this value.

Assessed value is the portion of the market value used to calculate taxes. In Georgia, residential property is generally assessed at 40% of market value. Exemptions are then applied to reduce the taxable amount further.

Understanding this distinction helps explain why assessment notices can look alarming at first glance but don’t always translate directly into proportional tax increases.

🏠 Why Assessments Change Without a Sale

Many homeowners expect assessments to change only when a property is sold. In reality, assessments can change due to broader market activity, even if nothing about your home has changed.

Common reasons include:

• Neighborhood-wide market trends
• County-wide reassessment cycles
• Updated sales data influencing mass appraisal models
• Corrections to prior assessment errors

Because these changes are based on patterns rather than individual inspections, values can sometimes feel disconnected from personal experience. This doesn’t necessarily mean the assessment is incorrect, but it does mean it deserves to be reviewed carefully.

🏠 How Counties Determine Property Values

County tax assessors rely on mass appraisal systems to value thousands of properties efficiently. These systems analyze:

• Recent comparable sales
• Property characteristics (such as size and age)
• Location-based factors

This approach allows counties to meet assessment requirements but also introduces limitations. Models can’t account for every unique feature of a home, which is why two similar-looking properties may still receive different values.

Understanding how valuations are generated helps homeowners distinguish between routine adjustments and situations where closer review might be appropriate.

🏠 Interpreting an Assessment Notice

Assessment notices typically include:

• The current market value
• The assessed value
• Any exemptions applied
• Instructions for review or appeal

Rather than reacting to the headline number, it’s helpful to look at how each component fits together. A higher market value does not always mean a proportionally higher tax bill, especially when exemptions are already in place.

This is also the point where timing matters. Notices are informational first, but they may trigger appeal windows with strict deadlines, which we’ll address in the next article.

🏠 When to Review More Closely

Not every assessment increase requires action. Situations that may warrant closer review include:

• Large increases compared to recent years
• Discrepancies between your home and similar nearby properties
• Obvious factual errors (such as incorrect square footage)

At this stage, the goal is awareness—not immediate action. Understanding how assessments work gives you the foundation needed to evaluate next steps rationally.

🏠 Where to Verify Assessment Information

County tax assessor offices are the primary source for assessment details. To find information specific to your area, search using phrases such as:

• [County Name] property tax assessment
• [County Name] assessment notice explanation
• [County Name] tax assessor property search

Most county websites allow you to look up your property record, compare values, and review recent changes. The Georgia Department of Revenue also provides general guidance on assessment practices statewide.

🏠 How This Connects to Appeals and Deadlines

Understanding assessments is essential before considering an appeal. Appeals are time-sensitive and process-driven, and not every increase justifies one. In the next article, we’ll look at how appeals work in Georgia, key dates homeowners should track, and how to decide whether an appeal makes sense for your situation.