Napa Assessor: Property Values Increase

Thanks to the work of the dedicated staff of the Assessor Division, Napa County Assessor-Recorder-Clerk John Tuteur presented a local assessment roll of $27.408 billion for the 2011-2012 Fiscal Year to Auditor Controller Tracy Schulze based on the value of all local property as of January 1, 2011. 

The one percent increase in the total roll value equates to approximately $272 million in increased value from the previous year’s roll value.

Approximately $141 million of this increase or 52% is due to the Proposition 13 inflationary adjustment which was 0.7%, the second lowest increase since Proposition 13 passed in June 1978. 

“For the third year in a row, our professional staff reviewed every condo and single family residence on less than five acres throughout Napa County which meant that residential owners received fair values that reflected current market conditions,” Tuteur said.

“We also reviewed commercial and industrial properties where owners supplied us with current income and expense information.”

Slight increase for Napa city property

Among the municipalities, the City of Napa increased 0.27% as opposed to a reduction of 0.80% for 2010-2011.  

Yountville had the largest increase of all the cities at 5.94% versus a 0.85% increase in 2010-2011.

American Canyon showed the only decrease at 1.12% down from an increase of 2.32% in 2010-2011. 

Saint Helena rose 2.53% after a decline of 0.27% in 2010-2011 and Calistoga rebounded from last year’s decrease of 3.82% to an increase of 3.89% for 2011-2012. 

Property values remain strong

“Napa County retains the second-highest per capita assessed value for counties with a population greater than 20,000,“ Tuteur added. 

“Although the real estate market remains depressed, Napa County’s values remain strong compared to other counties in the state.”

There was a decrease in non-residential new construction including commercial, industrial and agricultural properties. 

“The value of non-residential new construction dropped by almost 56% from the 2009 calendar year figure of $222 million to less than $99 million in calendar 2010,” Tuteur said. 

“The pipeline that had been full of projects from the boom years of 2006 through 2007 saw almost no new projects getting underway from 2009 through 2010.”

Online notices are available to the 10,225 owners with declines in value.

In addition 6,921 property owners can obtain value notices online for properties with business and farm equipment assessments; agricultural properties under California Land Conservation (Williamson Act) contracts and properties that underwent a change of ownership or new construction between Jan. 1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2010.

Notices can be searched by either assessor parcel number or property address at http://www.countyofnapa.org/assessorparceldata/.

“I encourage property owners to compare this year’s value notices to their 2010-2011 property tax bills to understand the nature of the change,” Tuteur said.

“For those who do not agree with the assessed valuation of their property you are welcome to call or e-mail the assessor’s office.  Our staff is available to answer any questions at (707) 253-4459 or john.tuteur@countyofnapa.org.”

Tuteur added that "the small increases in the past three years are lower than the series of four, small increases that occurred in the last real estate downturn from 1994 through 1997."