Our Services

The ultimate goal of any reassessment is to determine the current market value of your property. You may think the only professional assistance needed is someone in the real estate business who can tell you the value of your property. Unfortunately, it's not that easy!

First, the only person legally able to give an opinion of "Market Value" in Pennsylvania is a State Certified Real Estate Appraiser. Since there are two classifications of real estate appraisers, not all appraisers are qualified to give an opinion of value for all types of property. A person who is a licensed real estate salesperson or broker cannot express an opinion of the "Market Value" of your property. It's simply not legal!!!

Secondly, Assessment Evaluation, Inc. is a company with twenty years of experience in tax assessment related work and doesn't need to go through the "learning curve". Quite simply, do you want to risk having the basis for all of your real estate taxes in the hands of someone with minimal or no tax assessment background or knowledge assisting you?

Fee Structure

Initial Assessed Value Review
For a flat fee of $200 we will review the "Impact Statement " of the mass appraisal company for a single family home. After review, we will report to you the accuracy and methodology of the preliminary assessed value. This level of service will require that you provide us with some basic information about your property similar to the information compiled by the data collectors. For homes this would include such things as the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, fireplaces and garages; if you have a basement; is any part of the basement finished etc. For apartments, townhouses, commercial buildings and industrial properties similar data needs to be compiled. Contact our offices directly for a fee proposal for non-residential properties.

Informal Review
If the review of the "Impact Statement" warrants further action, then the next step in the process is an informal review with the mass appraisal company. Assessment Evaluation, Inc. will provide an appraisal for a flat fee and attend the "Informal Review" with you. Property owners will have 15 days from the receipt of the Erie County Property Reassessment Notice to request an "Informal Review".

Formal Appeal 
If you aren't satisfied with the results of the "Informal Review" conducted by the mass appraisal company then you as a taxpayer are entitled to file for a "Formal Appeal" before the Erie County Board of Appeals. Assessment Evaluation, Inc. will attend the "Formal Review" at no additional cost. "Formal Appeals" must be filed within 40 days of receiving the County Property Assessment Change Notice.

Erie County Reassessment Project

It is the goal of the Assessment office to complete a county wide reassessment every 5 years from this point forward.  The Erie County Assessment office has 23 employees, including 11 Assessors. The aerial photos of 123,000 parcels in Erie County (taken in 2003) are being compared to 2009 aerial photos. 30,000 parcels show changes.

County purchased at "IAS CAMA SYSTEM".
IAS – Integrated Assessment System.
CAMA – Computer Aided Mass Appraisal

Three approaches to value the computerized system uses

1. Cost Approach - utilizes a base year cost to build and establishes a land value
2. Market Value - utilizes comparable sales
3. MRA - (Multiples of Regression Analysis) - adjusts the comparable to match the subject – takes into account location, neighborhood, condition etc.

Key Reassessment Dates

2008 Property -  Photographing began

2009 - Aerial Photographing was completed

Ongoing since 2008 - Valuation Analysis
As of June 1, 2010 - the assessment office is ¾ of the way through the data reconciliation and photographing phase.  This includes comparing 2003 Aerials with 2009 Aerials comparing the photographic changes to those improvements already noted on property records and making on site visits to those properties showing changes that are not of record.

June/July 2010 - Data Collection Notices
The Second Part of the Data Collection process, the first being the comparison of the old to new aerial photographs - these mailers will be going out to all property owners, the City of Erie first. This will be the public’s first opportunity for input.

Early 2011 - Impact Notices
Sent out the City first, Impact notices are notification of the new property value.  These values will be used to calculate new tax bills beginning in the 2012 tax year.

May/June 2011 - Informal Hearings
This is the public's opportunity to challenge the "assessed value".

Formal Hearings

November 15, 2011 – by Pennsylvania State Law, Formal Hearings will be completed

Assessed Values of Record as of 12/31/2011 will be utilized for all 2012 Tax Rolls.

Download the Previous Erie County Reassessment Schedule