Appraisal workers photographing properties

On Monday photographers from Appraisal Research Corp. started the months-long process of photographing all 55,000 parcels of land in Lawrence County as part of the six-year re-evaluation process.

The photographers are wearing badges and have a placard on their vehicle identifying for who they are working. They will only be working outside and are not supposed to come into the home of any property owner.

“We are in communication with the sheriff’s office and if people are worried, call and check,” Jason Stephens, county auditor, said.

Stephens warns if someone claims to be working on the appraisal and asks to come into a home, the homeowner should refuse.

The ongoing property re-evaluation will be completed by 2016 and will determine the taxes to be paid to the county in 2017.

Along with photographing the outside of every parcel, property owners will receive a mailer where they will be asked to verify the interior of their home or business.

Those will start going into the mail the first of November and are due two weeks after receipt. The mailer can be answered online, delivered in person to the auditor’s office or mailed back.

If a response is not made received within two weeks, a representative from the appraisal company will go out to speak with the property owner.

“The value on property is being used more and more by banks, insurance companies and Realtors to determine their value,” Stephens said. “It is important no only for the taxing value, but, for taxpayers, for that value to be accurate.”