The 2012 Reassessment of all 66,000 properties in the City of Rochester was completed with the filing of the Final Assessment Roll on May 1, 2012. The 2012 Reassessment updated property values that were last reviewed city-wide in the 2008 Reassessment. Preliminary data indicated an approximately 4.5% average increase in property values from 4 years ago. Any specific property may have deviated significantly from the general trend based on that property's specific features, condition and surrounding neighborhood sales activity. The new Assessment values take effect on the July 2012 City School Tax Bills and then the January 2013 County Tax Bills.
To recap: after field reviews of all properties in late summer and fall of 2011, property owners were mailed a notice with the proposed Assessment. Included in the notice was a phone number for scheduling a twelve minute phone or office appointment to review the Assessment with an appraiser. Informal hearings concluded in early February 2012. Property-owners who still wanted to contest the proposed Assessed Value, or a denial of an Exemption, had to file an application to the Board of Assessment Review by the March 20th 2012, 8 PM deadline.
For a more detailed explanation of the 2012 Reassessment and resources to review the Assessed Value for the 2013 July Tax Bill please click here.
If after reviewing sales activity for a property’s market area, you believe a property’s Assessed Value does not reflect its Market Value you can have a review of the value by calling us at 428-7221 to schedule an informal review up until February. If you choose to go a step further in reviewing the value apply to the Board of Assessment Review:
Applications to the Board of Assessment Review (BAR) must be received by the Bureau of Assessment, Room 101A – City Hall by 8pm EST on the Third Tuesday in March.
Please use the helpful resources below when researching the Market Value and applying to the BAR:
• Changing Assessments Explanation: Click Here
• Sources of Comparable Sales: Click Here
• NYS ORPTS booklet "Contesting Your Assessment": Click Here
• For the NYS ORPTS pamphlet "How to Estimate the Market Value of Your Home" Click Here
• Board of Assessment Review Application: Click Here
All Exemption applications are due February 1st.
Click these links (or use the left sidebar menu buttons) for Exemption descriptions and forms:
• Residential Exemptions including STAR, Seniors, Veterans, Improvements
• Commercial Exemptions
An analysis of sales, by New York State and area real estate professionals, indicates that median house sale prices were slightly up in Rochester from 2008 through 2011. Area median suburban prices have remained mainly unchanged. This data contradicts that of most other areas of the nation, where sale prices have plummeted from the speculative values of recent years. Rochester, as usual, remains a steady real estate market, not booming or busting. Of course any particular neighborhood or property may deviate from general area trends.
February 1st 2013 is the deadline to submit applications for ALL Exemptions and to submit renewal applications with documentation for the Seniors Exemption as well as the Enhanced Star Exemption. Approved Exemptions will take effect on the July 2013 City/School Tax Bill and or the January 2014 County Tax Bill.
If you are age 65 or older by December 31, 2013 (or a surviving spouse age 62 or older) and own and reside on the property - please complete a Seniors Exemption application by February 1st, 2013, if you have not previously applied.
The Enhanced Star Seniors Exemption has a maximum household income cut-off of $79,050. It also has an option for automatic renewal on the application – otherwise submit a renewal application with income documentation to the Bureau of Assessment by the February 1st deadline. If maximum household income is below $37,400 (amount to be updated as soon as available from NYS) then the Senior Citizen Exemption can be combined with the Enhanced Star. The exemption percentage of tax reduction increases as income decreases. Submission of the application, or an annual renewal application with income documentation, is required by February 1st.
This summer and fall we will mail out the renewal applications to Seniors who received the Seniors Exemption last year. Please do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions or concerns.
For further details and an application click on “Residential Exemptions” in the left hand menu or call (585) 428-6994.
The convenience of checking the automatic renewal option for the Senior Enhanced STAR may leave you un-notified about further exemptions. The Bureau of Assessment does not receive notification from the State when your income level would also make you eligible for the City’s & County’s Seniors Property Tax Exemptions.
So please call us at 428-6994 if your 2011 household income may be below $37,400 (subject to periodic increases). We will help you apply for further property tax reductions of up to 50% off.
If you are over $79,050, and therefore not eligible for the Enhanced STAR or Seniors Exemptions, please apply for the BASIC STAR Exemption - which currently requires only owner occupancy and an combined income of residing owners and spouses below $500,000 for the 2011 income tax year.
For further details and an application click on “Residential Exemptions” in the left hand menu or call (585) 428-6994.
Attention - if you are a veteran! Even if you were denied an Exemption in the past! A Cold War Exemption was recently approved for Veterans who served actively in military service between Sept. 2, 1945 and Dec. 26, 1991. The Veteran, spouse or un-remarried surviving spouse must own and reside in a property as their primary residence to receive a 10% reduction on the City and County Assessed Values for 10 years. This exemption is NOT available for the School Assessment and can NOT be combined with other Veterans Exemptions.
The application must be filed with the Assessor by February 1st, like all other Exemptions, to take effect by the following July and January Tax Bills. Click here for the Veterans Exemption Application. This application includes the Alternative Veterans Application (RP-458-a) and the Cold War Veterans Application (RP-458-b), as well as both instruction sets. Only complete the application that fits your situation. For further information call the Exemption Hotline at 428-6994, during regular office hours.
Often when considering making improvements to a residence, owners hesitate because of the property tax implications. To keep the taxes from dissuading owners from reinvesting, the City of Rochester adopted the Residential Improvement Exemption. Instead of being taxed on the full value of the improvements, eligible properties will have the increase ramped in incrementally over 8 years, with a full exemption the first year.
The requirements are as follows:
- Owners do NOT have to occupy to apply
- 1 or 2 family residence
- Capital Improvement, not routine maintenance
- Improvement Value totals at least $3,000 (document with receipts)
- Verification of completion
- Promptly request an inspection after completion to determine the pre and post improvement property value
Submit the application promptly after completion by the February 1st deadline. Click here for the forms.