ASSESSOR’S OFFICE                           

Diann Helnore, Assessor 

dhelnore@comcast.net  

8200 Fairgrounds Rd.                                                                            

Belvidere. IL 61008

Ph. (815) 547-8095 Fax. (815) 544-2690

Update 4-5-2012

Dear Belvidere Township Property Owners,

                     “Our office works for you, the taxpayer”

 On August 15, 2011 the Belvidere Township Assessor’s office turned over 11,474 Assessment property record cards to the Boone County Supervisor of Assessments Office for the 2011 Assessment year.   Within the next two months the Boone County Treasurer’s office will send out tax bills to the Belvidere Township taxpayers.   The 2011 assessed values are the basis upon which the 2012 property taxes were calculated.

 The vast majority of the notices, 10,130 to be exact, show a decrease in value from 2010. 1,026 parcels will show some value increase, but of that number only 263 parcels actually increased in value, the remaining 763 parcels were reduced but had new first time assessed property added to them. 100 properties will show no change from last year, and the remaining 218 properties are exempt or partially exempt property.  Overall, another year of real estate market resistance is reflected by the lower than average market values in Belvidere Township.  In 2011 Residential Values dropped by an average of 11.48% from 2010, while commercial  properties saw their average values decline by 5.12%.  An overall 2011 reduction for all properties combined in this township was 10.87%.  For the assessment year 2012, tax year payable 2013, the Belvidere Township Assessor is looking at a similar trend with an overall township valuation reduction of approximately 9.9%.

 Over the past three years, the average value of a residential property in Belvidere Township, (using all sales) has dropped from $187,104 in 2008 to $130,036 in 2011. (-32.5%)  However when we segregate out just valid, arm’s length sales as criteria, (eliminating bank sales, & foreclosures) the sales have only dropped from $191,269 in 2008, to $180, 331. (-5.78%)  The decline in values for commercial properties has been more modest. Commercial values actually peaked a year later than they did for residential.

 Please be advised, that the Assessor’s Office is only responsible for providing a fair, impartial and equitable assessment of your property, based on township sale transaction data, averaged over the past three years.  We are not responsible for setting your tax rate.  Lower tax payments are not always realized by our lowering assessments.  However, one of our accountabilities in this office is to encourage you to apply for all the relief and exemptions that are available to you.  If you qualify, please make sure you are receiving your owner occupied exemption and /or your senior exemption (age 65).

 If you believe that there may be a problem with your assessment please call this office or stop in as soon as you can; we will try to correct the problem.

“2012 Assessment Year has begun “

 Our team of deputy assessors/ state certified appraisers will be out in the field again visiting your neighborhood(s), taking photographs and verifying exterior measurements of your property. Please check our website to see our daily locations www.belvideretownshipassessor.com. (We will start our field visits in Section 36, South of Logan Ave finishing by Belvidere High).   Please welcome them by helping us get all of your facts right. Accurate property valuation is our goal; equitable assessments are your right.   Please know that you are always welcome to stop by our office with your questions and concerns. Our staff will be more than happy to help you.  

 Sincerely,

Diann M. Helnore

Belvidere Township Assessor

Our staff of Deputy Assessors are once again in the field continuing with the General Assessment process which includes reviewing the information on record for each parcel of property located in the city of Belvidere.  Weather permitting, we are currently viewing property in the SW section of the City of Belvidere.

In the field, all Deputy Assessors wear Belvidere Township Assessor’s Office photo IDs and drive their own vehicles marked with Belvidere Township Assessor’s Office signage.  They will be checking the accuracy of the information we have on record for each property, including such things as the building sketch, property condition and type of construction.  Our intent is to verify the information that we already have on file and to update the records with any changes to the property since the last General Assessment.  We are also updating all of the property photos that we have on record by taking new photos of the front of the property, the rear and of any additional structures that may be present on the property.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and assistance in enabling us to more accurately assess your property and provide the public with the most up-to-date property information possible.  Please stop by our office or call us at 815-547-8095 with any questions you may have.

For more information on our staff or current property inspection area, click one of the links below:

Quadrennial Inspection Maps

Meet the Assessor’s Staff

Belvidere Township Assessor Diann Helnore and her staff again thank all those who took the time to attend the meeting and we look forward to the next one.  Please feel free to call our office at 815.547.8095 with any questions or to schedule an appointment.