“Why does Citrus County have to hire an outside property appraiser for the property in Ozello when they have an entire Property Appraisers department?”
~ question from a citizen in the Citrus County Chronicle on March 13, 2021

Recently, the Board of County Commissioners requested an appraisal on a piece of property that the county was considering purchasing. Several days after the BOCC’s request, a resident wrote to the Chronicle asking, “Why hire outside help?” and “Why does Citrus County have to hire an outside property appraiser for the property in Ozello when they have an entire property appraiser’s department?”

I truly enjoy that citizens ask questions! During my election, I promised to educate the public on the duties of the Citrus County Property Appraiser’s Office. Providing private appraisals for a fee and for the intent to purchase a property is not one of the duties of the property appraiser’s office.

Citrus County Property Appraiser:

The elected county property appraiser (and his/her staff) is responsible for recognizing, locating, and fairly evaluating all property, both real and personal, within the county for tax purposes. The property appraiser’s office does not generate the property value. Property values are generated by people buying and selling real estate in the market. The county property appraiser’s office inspects every property in the county at least once every five years. Additionally, our office accepts and approves applications from individuals eligible for exemptions and other forms of property tax relief. We track ownership changes and maintain maps of parcel boundaries while keeping descriptions of buildings and property characteristics up to date. Using the Geographic Information System (G.I.S.), we deliver comprehensive and up-to-date property ownership maps for field inspections.

In estimating value for any property, Florida Statutes 193.011 requires the property appraiser’s office to consider 8 factors – those include the present cash value; the highest and best use of the property; the location of the property; the quantity or size of the property; the cost of the property; the condition of the property; the income of said property; and the net proceeds of the sale of the property.