The Assessor is responsible for listing, classifying, and valuing all property in the county in accordance with state laws. Colorado law is very specific in establishing how Assessors value property:
- Real property must be revalued every odd numbered year.
- The actual value of real property is based on its value as of the appraisal date, which is the June 30th of the year prior to the reappraisal year.
- Residential property may be valued using only the market approach to value. In this approach, the value of the subject property is based on an analysis of comparable sales to predict the price properties would have sold for on the Appraisal date.
- For tax years 2017 and 2018, the assessor must use a minimum of the comparable sales between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016. However, the assessor is authorized to include and analyze additional sales that occurred up to five years preceding June 30, 2016, adding sales in six month increments. Gunnison County typically uses a minimum of 24 months which includes all sales consummated after the previous reappraisal, and accounts for seasonal differences in the market. For the 2017 reappraisal, it was necessary to extend the time period to 5 years for commercial property, between 2-5 years for vacant land and 2-3 years for residential improved, depending on the economic area and neighborhood.