Bastrop County's property values hold steady

Bastrop County's property values hold steady

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"Official: Despite overall growth, little change in appraisals for '10.

By Suzannah Gonzales AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Published: 11:04 p.m. Monday, April 26, 2010

For the most part, Bastrop County property owners shouldn't see much of a change in their appraisals this year, Chief Appraiser Mark Boehnke said, even as new construction boosts an overall growth in values.

"Every property is unique," Boehnke said, "but overall, there should not be an increase on properties that have not been substantially changed from 2009 to 2010."

Appraisal notices were sent out Friday afternoon and should arrive in mailboxes early this week. Preliminary reports for 2010 show that the average market value of a house in Bastrop County is $118,484 , compared with $115,842 last year. Boehnke credited the increase, about 2 percent , to the construction of new, high-end homes — ranging from $400,000 to $600,000 in value — in existing subdivisions. In 2008, the average market value of a Bastrop County house was $111,322.

Boehnke said he was surprised that the sale prices of homes held as well as they did.

It reflects that Texas values have fared better than values in other parts of the country, he said. In Central Texas, "we have done very well," he said.

The overall total market value of properties in Bastrop County is $6.6 billion, an increase of about 4 percent from 2009, Boehnke said.

That increase was boosted by new construction, including a Best Buy, Petco, Lowe's, and banks and hotels, Boehnke said.

But the final values may be lower after property owners' appeals are resolved. The appeal process will take place in May, June and July, he said.
This year's growth is more modest than it has been in the past. Bastrop County saw an overall increase of 13.1 percent from 2006 to 2007 before slowing to 3 percent from 2008 to 2009, but, Boehnke said: "We've been blessed. Our market is still holding good."

Preliminary data show that the total market value of properties in Williamson County will be $42.3 billion, up about 2 percent from the year before, according to figures released Monday by Chief Appraiser Alvin Lankford.
David Valle, chief appraiser in Hays County, estimated Monday that overall values will dip 1.7 percent, to $14.2 billion, from last year.

Boehnke said that not all market values for Bastrop County commercial properties were available Monday.

Preliminary property values for 2010 are posted at http://www.bastropcad.org/ ; the online tax rolls go back 1997.