Over the past 16 weeks, Pearson’s Appraisal Service has been conducting an independent review of all aspects of Mecklenburg County’s 2011 Property Revaluation. The Board of County Commissioners authorized the review last summer after numerous complaints from property owners about the equity of their appraisals and the fairness of the appeals process.

Pearson’s released its study to the Board at the November 13 BOCC meeting. Here are some of the findings.

-Overall, valuations are within acceptable levels though there are certain neighborhoods where assessed values are not acceptable due to high levels of inequity among properties like and similar.

-The percentage of informal appeals was typical for a revaluation the size of Mecklenburg’s, though the percent of formal appeals was higher than is typical.

-Pearson’s stressed throughout its findings that more communication with property owners at all stages of the revaluation would go a long way to satisfying the expectations of property owners. That is especially true at the informal appeal level, where Pearson’s suggests more face-to-face interaction with those filing an appeal.

-Regarding formal appeals to the Board of Equalization and Review, Pearson’s suggests that staff conduct a field visit for every property being appealed before the property owner appears before the board.

All the preliminary results and findings can be viewed here.

Pearson’s immediately began a second round of public meetings where the company will details its finding to constituents in each of the six County commissioner districts. Pearson’s will present its full and final written report to the BOCC at its November 20 meeting.