The town of Berlin is one of the areas targeted in this year’s round of SDAT property reassessments.
Most Worcester County residents will see an increase in their property assessments this year, as the state’s estimated tax values for residential and commercial properties are set to increase by 20% statewide.
Property assessments for about 18,000 accounts in the areas of Bishopville, Berlin, Ocean Pines, and Showell rose 29%. That increase will be phased-in over the next three years, according to the state’s Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), which mailed notices to homeowners Dec. 30.
Homeowners may grouse at higher assessments that may lead to bigger property tax bills, but overall, it’s a good indicator of a healthy real estate market, according to Amy Smith, SDAT’s Supervisor of Assessment for Worcester County. She said homes in this area, last assessed in 2022, now have a collective value of $6.2 billion.
When it comes to property assessment, SDAT divides Worcester County into three different zones. Every three years, one zone gets measured. This year’s assessment zone is classified by SDAT as Group 1. Each group is assessed every three years.
Group 2 encompasses the area south of Newark, including the greater Snow Hill and Pocomoke areas, as well West Ocean City and the South Point district. Group 3 is strictly Ocean City. New assessments will come in 2026 for Group 2, and 2027 for Group 3.
Overall, Worcester County contains about 55,000 total residential properties, including condos and single-family homes (apartments are considered commercial property). The county’s total assessable base is about $19.4 billion – most of which lies in and around Ocean City – but that number has the capacity to change daily, Smith said.
“Houses get demolished. We get new buildings all the time. We could take a 1,000 acres farm and create a new subdivision with residential lots,” she said.
That assessable base can take big swings, too. For example, a $5 million property can be demolished, and a $30 million hotel property goes up in its place. Vacant properties, such as the land slated for the new Wawa in Berlin, can be developed, resulting in massive land value surges.
If I get taxed out of ownership of my property, there will be Hell to pay. Think about it elected officials.
Thanks, you no good SOB Les Moore!! We hate you!!!!!!!!
Wicomico, too!