I've noticed the same thing—assessors definitely seem to prioritize structural stuff over cosmetic upgrades. When we redid our kitchen, I thought it'd bump up our assessment significantly, but it barely moved the needle. Then we replaced an old furnace and suddenly saw a noticeable jump. Seems like functional improvements consistently matter more, but yeah...there's always that subjective element depending on who shows up that day. You're not alone in feeling it's a bit random sometimes.
Yeah, I've been noticing this too as we start planning our own upgrades. Seems like assessors care more about what's behind the walls than what's on them. I guess it makes sense from their perspective—functional stuff probably has a clearer value long-term—but it does feel weird that something visually impressive like a new kitchen doesn't count for much. Glad to hear it's not just me feeling a bit lost about all this... property taxes are a whole new world for me, haha.
When we redid our place a few years back, I learned the hard way that assessors really don't care if your kitchen looks like something out of HGTV. We spent a small fortune on quartz countertops and custom cabinets, thinking it'd boost our home's assessed value significantly. Nope. But when we replaced the old wiring and plumbing—stuff no one ever sees—suddenly our assessment jumped noticeably. Felt backwards at first, but I guess they're thinking long-term durability over aesthetics. Still stings a bit though...
"Felt backwards at first, but I guess they're thinking long-term durability over aesthetics."
Haha, been there! When we upgraded our heating system, I was hoping for a shiny new appraisal number—but nope, crickets. At least your plumbing won't betray you at 2am... countertops can't promise that.
We had a similar thing happen when we replaced our roof—practicality over curb appeal, right? Did it help the taxes any? Nope. Sometimes I wonder if aesthetics might actually influence appraisal more than durability... anyone else notice that?
