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On behalf of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, I would like to take this opportunity to address some of the questions and concerns that have been expressed by Dare County property owners regarding the 2025 countywide property revaluation that became effective on January 1, 2025.

As chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, I have received numerous emails, comments and questions regarding the revaluation process since the notices containing the newly assessed property values were mailed at the end of March. It is my hope that this letter provides clear and accurate information to help answer your questions—and to eliminate any confusion or misconceptions that may be circulating in the Dare County community.

What is a Revaluation?

Revaluation is the process of updating the assessed value of real property to reflect its current market value—that is, the price a property would likely sell for in an open and competitive market. The revaluation process is not about raising taxes, and it is not an attempt to increase revenues—it’s about ensuring that each property owner in Dare County pays their fair and equitable share in taxes based on the most up-to-date information available.

Is Revaluation Required? Why?

Yes. North Carolina law requires that all counties conduct a reappraisal at least once every eight years. However, Dare County proactively chooses to revalue property every five years instead of eight. Why? Because property values can change at very different rates depending on their location, age, type, condition and several other factors. Reassessing properties more frequently helps to ensure that the tax burden is distributed more fairly across all property owners in Dare County.

How Are Property Values Determined?

Revaluations are based on data from the local real estate market—what are commonly called “comparable sales” or “comps.” These are recent sales of properties that are similar to yours and also located within your area. Appraisers look at a variety of factors, such as location, square footage, construction type, age and condition, among many others, to estimate a property’s market value. This is a comprehensive process designed to reflect real-world property trends, not arbitrary increases.

It’s also important to understand that the process and methodology that outlines revaluations is governed by the North Carolina General Statutes—not by Dare County. This means Dare County is legally required to follow the state’s laws that dictate how real property must be assessed. Dare County has no authority to change or customize this process—we are simply implementing what state law mandates to ensure fairness, equity and consistency.

Property Value vs. Tax Rate: What’s the Difference?

It’s very important to understand that the revaluation process only updates your property’s assessed value—it does not set the tax rate. The tax rate is determined after property values have been reassessed and is finalized during Dare County’s annual budget process, which is currently underway. Dare County’s previous tax rate was 40.05 cents per $100 of assessed property value. As part of the county’s budget workshop that was held on Friday, April 4, 2025, the Dare County Board of Commissioners proposed a “revenue-neutral” tax rate of 26.32 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

What Does “Revenue Neutral” Mean?

A revenue-neutral tax rate is one that brings in the same total amount of tax revenue as the previous year—despite the changes in property values—because the rate has been adjusted downward to offset the increase in property values. In other words, even though some individual tax bills may go up or down depending on how the value of that particular property changed relative to other properties, the county will not collect more tax revenue than it did previously. This is a key part of ensuring transparency and fairness in the budgeting process.

When Does the New Revenue-Neutral Tax Rate Become Effective?

Dare County’s revenue-neutral rate of 26.32 cents per $100 of assessed value would be included as part of the proposed budget for the next fiscal year, which is expected to be presented to the public in May 2025 and voted on for adoption in June 2025.

This reduction from the county’s previous tax rate of 40.05 cents per $100 of assessed property value to 26.32 cents would become effective July 1, 2025.

What If You Think Your Assessment Is Wrong?

If you believe your new property value is not accurate, you have the right to appeal.

The appeals process is your opportunity to provide evidence—such as an independent appraisal or comparable sales—that your assessed value does not reflect your property’s fair market value. You can find full details and instructions on how to file an appeal at DareNC.gov/Revaluation or you may call the Dare County Tax Department at 252-475-5940 for more information and assistance.

A Note About Rent, Insurance, and Municipal Taxes

I’d like to clarify a few additional points about Dare County’s role in the following:

• Local Rent Costs: Dare County has no control over market rates or the cost of local rent. These costs are the result of private agreements between landlords and tenants, and they are based on supply and demand and private negotiation. Questions or concerns regarding rental costs should be directed to whomever you choose to rent from.
• Insurance Costs: Dare County also has no control over homeowner insurance rates or the insurance valuation of your home or business. These costs are regulated by the North Carolina Department of Insurance and negotiated with private insurers. If you have questions or concerns regarding your insurance costs, please contact your insurance agent.
• Municipal Taxes: If you live within the limits of one of Dare County’s six municipalities—the towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Manteo, you’ll pay a municipal tax in addition to your Dare County tax. Each of the six municipalities sets its own rate, and Dare County does not control or have any influence over these municipal rates. If you have questions or concerns regarding your municipal tax rate, please contact your town directly for more information. You can also make your voice heard by attending a town’s upcoming board meeting or budget workshop.

Our Commitment to Maintaining County Service Levels

Despite the challenges of rising costs and increasing demands, I want to reassure Dare County citizens that our Board of Commissioners remains fully committed to maintaining the current level of services provided to our residents, property owners and visitors. During our recent budget workshop held on April 4, 2025, we received over $9 million in additional funding requests from various Dare County departments; however, we made the difficult decision not to fund those requests in order to stay within a balanced and responsible budget—without raising revenues or reducing the number or quality of the many services we provide to our community.

Questions?

As always, we encourage citizens to get involved, ask questions and stay informed. If you have further questions or need help understanding your new assessment, please contact the Dare County Tax Department at 252-475-5940 or email DareReval@DareNC.gov.

On behalf of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, I’d like to acknowledge that we truly do hear and understand the concerns being expressed by our community—and we remain committed to being transparent, responsive and as informative as possible throughout this process. We appreciate your engagement and hope this information helps clear up many of your questions.

Sincerely,

Robert L. “Bob” Woodard Sr.

Chairman, Dare County Board of Commissioners

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