5703-25-07. Appraisals

(A) Each general reappraisal of real property in a county shall be initiated by an entry and order of the tax commissioner directed to the county auditor of the county concerned which shall specify the time for beginning and completing the appraisal as provided by section 5715.34 of the Revised Code. In January of each year the commissioner shall adopt a journal entry wherein is set forth the status of reappraisals in the various counties and the tax year upon which the next reappraisal and the next triennial update of real property values in each county shall be completed.

(B) Each lot, tract, or parcel of land, and all buildings, structures, fixtures, and improvements to land shall be appraised by the county auditor according to true value in money, as it or they existed on tax lien date of the year in which the property is appraised. It shall be the duty of the county auditor to so value and appraise the land and improvements to land that when the two separate values for land and improvements are added together, the resulting value indicates the true value in money of the entire property.

(C) Land shall be valued in accordance with the provision of rule 5703-25-11 of the Administrative Code. All land shall be valued according to its true value except where the owner has filed an application under section 5713.31 of the Revised Code for such land to be valued for real property tax purposes at the current value the land has for agricultural use, and the land is qualified to be so valued and taxed as provided in section 5713.30 of the Revised Code.

Buildings, structures, fixtures, and improvements to land shall be valued in accordance with the provisions of rule 5703-25-12 of the Administrative Code.

(D) In arriving at the estimate of true value the county auditor may consider the use of any or all of the recognized three approaches to value:

(1) The market data approach - The value of the property is estimated on the basis of recent sales of comparable properties in the market area after allowance for variation in features or conditions. The use of the gross rent multiplier is an adaptation of the m-arket approach useful in appraising rental properties such as apartments. This is most applicable to the types of property that are sold often.

(2) The income approach - The value is estimated by capitalizing the net income after expenses, including normal vacancies and credit losses. While the contract rental or lease of a given property is to be considered the current economic rent should be given weight. Expenses should be examined for extraordinary items. In making appraisals by the income approach for tax purposes in Ohio provision for expenses for real property taxes should be made by calculating the effective tax rate in the given tax district as defined in paragraph (E) of rule 5703-25-05 of the Administrative Code, and adding the result to the basic interest and capitalization rate, Interest and capitalization rates should be determined from market data allowing for current returns on mortgages and equities. The income approach should be used for any type of property where rental income or income attributed to the real property is a major factor in determining value. The value should consider both the value of the leased fee and the leasehold.

(3) The cost approach - The value is estimated by adding to the land value, as determined by the market data or other approach, the depreciated cost of the improvements to land. In some types of special purpose properties where there is a lack of comparable sales or income information this is the only approach. Due to the difficulties in estimating accrued depreciation, older or obsolete buildings value estimates often vary from the market indications.

(E) Ideally, all three approaches should be used but due to cost and time limitations, the cost approach as set forth in these rules is generally an appropriate first step in valuation for tax purposes. Values obtained by the cost approach should always be checked by the use of at least one of the other approaches if possible. In the event the auditor uses approaches of estimating true value other than the cost approach appropriate notations shall be shown on the property record.

(F) The appraiser is urged to refer to standard appraisal references as well as the excellent publications by many trade associations, etc., which provide valuable income, expense, and other types of information that may be used as bench marks in making the appraisal.

(G) Nothing set out in these rules shall be construed to prohibit the county auditor from the use of advanced techniques, such as computer assisted appraisals, in the application of the three approaches to the appraisal of real property for tax purposes. However, such programs must be submitted to the tax commissioner for the approval on an individual basis.

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 07/25/2014 and 07/25/2019
Promulgated Under: 5703.14
Statutory Authority: 5703.05
Rule Amplifies: 5713.01, 5715.01
Prior Effective Dates: 12-28-73; 11-1-77; 9-18-03

Prior History: (Eff 12-28-73; 11-1-77; 9-18-03
Rule promulgated under: RC 5703.14
Rule authorized by: RC 5703.05
Rule amplifies: RC 5713.01, 5715.01
Replaces: 5705-3-03
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 09/18/2008 )