We can typically view the interior of your home in about ten minutes.  The assessor might spend a few more minutes outside verifying exterior information and may take a photo of the exterior of your home.

Property assessments are based on the records we maintain for each property, so it is important the records be kept as current as possible.  Secondly, long periods between property record revisions usually result in necessity of hiring costly outside help to assist in the process. Since we are using our own staff to update the records over a period of several years, the budget impact is minimal.

Since assessing staff are looking at all of the homes, we need a period of several years to complete the entire city.  By spreading the work over a few years, we can avoid hiring additional help.

The last time we viewed homes throughout the city was during a three year period that began in 1998. We understand that many homes may not have changed since then, or some homes might only have minor changes. However, we feel it is important to view all homes in a neighborhood within the same period so all property owners are treated fairly. Major changes to a property typically require a building permit and are already included in the property records. However, property owners may also make changes that do not require permits. These changes can only be accounted for through periodic viewing of the interiors of homes. If you would like to verify the accuracy of the property record for your home, please visit the City of Eau Claire GIS site.

The assessor will verify the accuracy of existing information and look for changes that may have taken place since our last visit.  Examples of the kinds of information maintained for residential property include property condition, living area, finished basement area, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, garage size, and additional features such as central air conditioning, or fireplaces.

We appreciate the cooperation of homeowners in helping us do our job as efficiently as possible.  We are required by state law to base assessments upon an actual view of the property, or the best information available.  If we are not able to look at the interior of a property, we will determine the assessment by using existing records and our judgment concerning the interior condition and features of your home.