Open Book and Board of Review

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Open Book

Every year, the Assessor's office prepares a preliminary assessment roll. This reflects property values as of January 1 each year.

The Open Book Review period occurs every year, usually in April. Specific dates are determined annually.

Open Book Review takes place by appointment at Oak Creek City Hall, 8040 S. 6^th Street.

The Open Book Review period is set aside to answer questions posed by property owners and to correct obvious clerical errors that were made in compiling the assessment roll.

If an error was made, or if there is evidence that the assessment is different than the actual fair market value of property, the Assessor's Office will review the facts and may make appropriate adjustments. The best evidence of value is a recent arm’s length sale of the property or sales of comparable properties.

Contact the Assessor's Office with your questions.

What to Expect at Open Book

During the meeting that lasts 15-30 minutes, you will meet with assessment staff to review data about your property. This review will include things like the size, age, condition, number of bathrooms, and other physical characteristics of your property. You can ask any questions that will help you understand the assessment process. This is also an opportunity to present factual data regarding different opinions about the value of your property.

The assessment staff you meet with will be gathering data during this meeting, not reviewing the value of your property. The review will be completed by assessment staff after the Open Book meetings have completed. Once the Open Book period is closed, you will be notified by mail of the results of the property review.

Once you receive the results, if you still believe the value is not an accurate estimate of your property value, you may proceed to the Board of Review. You can learn more about this by visiting the Board of Review page.

What to Bring to Open Book

The Open Book meeting is an opportunity to present factual data about the value of your property to the assessment staff. Some examples of factual data include but are not limited to:

Copies of building plans with dimensions
A recent appraisal of the property that is less that 2 years old
Current interior/exterior photographs that show the condition of the property is in less than average expected condition for the age of the property. Some examples that might impact the assessed value include but are not limited to: structural damage, major water leaks, pest damage, or long term deferred maintenance of the roof, siding, and windows.
Purchase price of the property if it was purchased in the last year, and recent sales prices of similar properties in the neighborhood
Estimates for unfinished repair work, and/or receipts for completed repair work

Formal Objections

After talking with the Assessor's Office, owners who still feel that the value of their property is overstated may file formal written objections to the Board of Review (BOR). Objections must be submitted to the City Clerk on forms that are available in the City Clerk's Office.

Formal objections may proceed to a formal hearing before the Board of Review. Similar to a court, the Board of Review has the responsibility for resolving differences of opinion of valuation. The Board hears oral testimony and evidence presented by the property owner and the Assessor's staff. After hearing the evidence, the Board may lower, raise, or sustain the assessment.

For additional information on procedures, please view the Department of Revenue's Guide for Property Owners.

Board of Review

For more information, please visit the Board of Review page.