Clay County Assessor’s Office

2027 Residential Reappraisal Project

A reappraisal of residential properties will begin in Clay County march 2025 and continue through the end of 2026. The last door-to-door reappraisals in Clay County were done in 1992 for Commercial and 2002 for Residential properties.

The Iowa Department of Revenue recommends having a complete revaluation every 10 years.

Periodic inspections and reappraisals are necessary to update information and adjust for market conditions affecting property values. Some properties physically deteriorate faster than others and many have had improvements made. Also, property values in different areas of the county will differ in value due to economic factors. Please keep in mind that the purpose of a reappraisal is not to increase assessed value but to establish equitable assessments that represent the market value of each specific parcel. Beginning in March and continuing through 2026 data collectors from Vanguard Appraisals, Inc will begin the process of visiting each residential property in Clay County to collect both exterior and interior information. Each Vanguard employee has had a full background check and will have a photo ID signed by the Clay County Assessor identifying them as such. All law enforcement agencies will be aware of Vanguard employees’ names, auto license numbers, and activities within Clay County. Data collectors’ names and photos can be found in the Assessor’s section of Clay County’s website listed above.

Click Here for Pictures of Vanguard Employees.

When visiting your property, inspectors will review/collect exterior information such as measurements, type of construction, age of structure(s) and physical condition, as well as interior condition and type/amount of finish. A complete sales analysis, and a study of local construction costs and economic conditions will also be used in addition to the data from the collector’s inspection to arrive at a value. No estimate of value will be given at the time of inspection. Completion of this project is expected to be early

2027 and notices of estimated market value will be sent near that time along with options for appeal should you feel that the value is either not equitable or more than the market value. New assessed values will be effective January 1, 2027, for taxes payable Fall 2028/Spring 2029

With the volume of properties, it is not feasible to know when we will be at a property. Property owners are encouraged to cooperate with data collectors by either answering questions they may have or allowing an interior inspection of the property, this will help to arrive at a fair, equitable, and correct assessment of your property. We understand this could cause privacy concerns for some. Before you decline aiding with this project, please know that new market values will be estimated for every property, regardless of owner participation. Refused assistance will not stop a new value from being estimated, only causes it to be less precise. Additionally, accurate, up to date information minimizes the chances an appeal would be needed after new assessed values are established. If your property has tenants, please make them aware of this project and communicate with them the importance of cooperating with the data collectors.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the reappraisal project, please contact the Clay County Assessor’s Office at the number shown above or visit the Assessor page on the Clay County website to find additional information about the Assessor’s Office and the assessment process: www.claycounty.iowa.gov. We thank you for your cooperation as we work our way through the reappraisal project. Respectfully, Danika Welsch, ICA, Clay County Assess

Homestead Tax Credit

Description: Originally adopted to encourage home ownership through property tax relief. The current credit is equal to the actual tax levy on the first $4,850 of actual value.

Eligibility: Must own and occupy the property as a homestead on July 1 of each year, declare residency in Iowa for income tax purposes and occupy the property for at least six months each year. Persons in the military or nursing homes who do not occupy the home are also eligible.

Filing Requirements: Claim must be filed on or before July 1. Claim is allowed for successive years without further filing as long as eligible.

You may apply online. Find your property on the property search website and the application will be near the bottom of the page.

65+ Homestead Exemption

On May 4, 2023, Governor Reynolds signed House File 718, establishing a homestead tax exemption for claimants 65 years of age or older.

In addition to the homestead tax credit, eligible claimants who own the home they live in and are 65 years of age or older on or before January 1 of the assessment year are now eligible for a homestead tax exemption.

For the assessment year beginning on January 1, 2023, the exemption is for $3,250 of taxable value.

For assessment years beginning on or after January 1, 2024, the exemption is for $6,500 of taxable value.

An exemption is a reduction in the taxable value of the property rather than a direct reduction in the amount of property tax you pay.

Please stop into the Assessor's Office, Clay County Administration Building, 300 W 4th St, Spencer to apply for this new exemption if you were 65 on or before January 1, 2023 and live in the home.

For questions, you may call the office at 712-262-1986.

The exemption will be applied to the property tax for the 2024/25 taxes.

The filing deadline is July 1st, 2023.

Any applications received after that date will be valid for the 2024 assessment year.

The exemption is a one-time application with the exemption being in effect as long as the property owner is eligible.

Military Tax Exemption

Description: Reduces the taxable value of property for military veterans.

Eligibility: The amount of exemption varies. Must own the property on July 1 of each claim year.

Filing Requirements: A qualified veteran must file a claim with the local assessor by July 1. Subsequent claims need not be filed on the same property. The Veteran’s DD214 papers must be recorded with the Recorder’s Office.

You may apply online. Find your property on the property search website and the application will be near the bottom of the page.

Family Farm Land Credit

Description: Credit established to partially offset the school tax burden borne by agricultural real estate. Current law allows a credit for any general school fund tax of $5.40 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Eligibility: All land used for agricultural or horticultural purposes in tracts of 10 acres or more and land less than 10 acres if contiguous to qualifying land of more than 10 acres. The owner or designated person must be actively engaged in farming the land.

Filing Requirements: Claims must be filed with the assessor by November 1. Subsequent claims are not required if ownership and designated person actively engages in farming remain the same.