Assessor to mail notices of property values
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Press Release from Ringgold County Assessor Melinda England
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — The Ringgold County Assessor’s office plans to mail the 2026 property assessment notices to property owners on or before March 20. The notices are intended to inform the property owners of the estimated market value of their property as of January 1, 2026 and will be the basis for the calculation of the taxes payable in September 2027 and March 2028. Only properties with a valuation change will receive a notice.
In 2021, the Ringgold County Conference Board awarded a contract to Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. of Cedar Rapids for the reappraisal of all residential and agricultural dwelling property in the county. Company representatives have measured and attempted to inspect all property over the last two years. A sales analysis and a review of the information collected were conducted before the 2026 values were finalized.
Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. is a very respected company in the assessment of properties across Iowa. Since the company was formed in 1968, they have continuously operated as a mass appraisal company, primarily conducting mass appraisal projects for city, county and township jurisdictions across Iowa. Their extensive experience provides the expertise necessary to complete reassessment projects efficiently, accurately and within a reasonable time frame.
Local assessor offices work to ensure that similar properties are assessed in a consistent manner from year to year; however, over time, inequities can develop between different types of buildings, dwellings and properties. Reassessment projects are undertaken to correct these imbalances and promote fairness and equity, not to increase taxes. To ensure fairness, an entire class of property must be reassessed at the same time. Contracting with an experienced outside firm is the most cost-effective and efficient approach for property reassessment projects. Vanguard has worked diligently with the local assessor’s office to gather extensive sales data and valuation statistics to support accurate local assessments based on Ringgold County data.
The last complete reappraisal of residential and ag dwelling properties was completed for the January 1, 1996 assessment date. The current reappraisal was conducted to equalize assessed values since not all properties have decreased or increased at the same rate since 1996. Property owners who disagree with the new values should be prepared to state their estimate of market value and provide evidence to support that estimate. Vanguard representatives or assessor’s office staff will not adjust the assessed values if the property owner objects to the new values based solely on the fact that there was an increase in the assessed value.
Property owners will have an opportunity to meet with a representative of Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. beginning on April 14, 2026. These meetings are an opportunity for the property owner to submit any information which may affect the estimate of market value of their property. Only after receiving the assessment notice in March, property owners who wish to meet with a representative of Vanguard must request an appointment prior to April 7, 2026 by calling the county assessor’s office at 641-464-3233. Please do not call prior to receiving and reviewing the assessment notice.
Property owners will then have an opportunity to protest the 2026 assessed values to the Ringgold County Board of Review. A written protest must be submitted between April 2 through April 30 for the Board of Review to consider any protest of value. Again, property owners should be prepared to submit information to substantiate their estimate of the market value of their property.
This reassessment project was completed for one primary reason: fairness and equity in property assessment and taxation. The Ringgold County Assessor’s Office appreciates the understanding and cooperation of property owners over the course of this project.
