Barrington will begin a full property revaluation this month.

The town is required to complete a statistical reval every three years and a full reval every nine years. The process allows the town to update assessments for all the homes, businesses and properties in Barrington, ensuring that they reflect the current fair market value.

So, what does a reval mean for Barrington residents?

Barrington Tax Assessor James Drew said residents should expect a visit from an appraiser. The town hired Northeast Revaluation Group to complete the reval, and representatives from the company will stop by each and every home in Barrington in an effort to update the property card data.

“They will record fundamental data such as the size, design, condition, and quality of structures,” stated an informational flyer from the town that was mailed to residents. “They will also request an interior inspection to determine the accuracy of interior information such as bedroom and bathroom counts, finished basement areas, and flooring type.”

Drew said the interior inspection can go by pretty quickly depending on the size of a residence.

“A small ranch house, someone can be in and out in two minutes,” Drew said. “I let them in my house just because I don’t want them to guess… I’ve let them in and they’ve pretty much got everything right. It’s just much easier to let them in. As long as it’s not too inconvenient.”

Drew said that if the visit is not convenient for the resident or if someone is not at home, the Northeast Reval representative will leave a sticky note on the door listing a number the resident can call to schedule an appointment for a follow-up visit. 

The Tax Assessor said Northeast Revaluation representatives will have identification badges clearly displayed while they are conducting their house visits. The vehicles they drive will be registered with the Barrington Police Department and the Tax Assessor’s office, and residents are welcome to call Drew’s office if they have any questions. 

The revaluation serves an important role, stated the informational flyer from the town.

“It simply provides a basis for the fair distribution of the tax burden among all property owners,” stated the flyer. “Taxes are calculated based on the amount needed for the town government to meet the needs of its proper operation. The Assessor’s office is responsible for assessing each property fairly and impartially as the law provides.”

The tax rate is set at the annual financial town meeting, following budget votes by taxpayers. 

Residents have options if they disagree with the property assessments following the revaluation, or if they find a mistake on their property data cards. 

The appeal process starts with an informal hearing conducted by Northeast Revaluation Group representatives; residents can bring documents or other evidence to the hearing to support their claims. If they are still not content with the assessment following the hearing, residents can file an appeal with the tax assessor or pursue other avenues. People have 90 days from the first quarter due date to appeal.