On the spreadsheet, column headings for Year 2003 are highlighted in yellow because that is the year that all the homes on Imperial Drive were supposed to have been a part of the reassessment program. 

Interesting story about Imperial Drive--we know first-hand because we live there.  Back in 2003, our assessment was raised 17% about the same as everyone else.  Everyone except for the parcels that were Neighborhood Code 4811 in 2001 and 2002 (highlighted in orange).  Notice that their tax map number is different than all the others on Imperial Drive--they start with 339.019 while the others start with 339.015.  Mistake number 1.  Oh, I know it would appear that those parcels were moved to 4807 in 2003--but they really weren't moved until after the reassessment.  They were actually in Neighborhood Code 4811 (Rural) for the reassessment.  Since Neighborhood Code 4811 was not part of the 2003 reassessment, none of the assessments were raised in 2003.  At least no one except 8 Imperial (blue print on spreadsheet).  In 2003, it was pointed out to the assessor that 8 Imperial was not increased, yet the sale price was used to determine the increase for other homes in Neighborhood Code 4807.   As a result of the complaint, we believe that 8 Imperial Drive received a letter telling him his assessment was increased--probably received the letter a little later than most other people--probably in early May 2003.  Initially his assessment was not increased because he was in Neighborhood Code 4811 when they conducted reassessment in 2003--these parcels actually have two neighborhood codes in the database.  Each entry has a different timestamp. 

The fact that Imperial Drive is part of a subdivision should have been a clue that there are no rural parcels.  Also, homes in Woodberry were used as comparables for many of the homes on Imperial Drive--mistake number 2.  That is why the increase in assessment in many cases were so great.  Anyone who has lived in New Hartford for any length of time knows that homes in Woodberry are not comparable to Imperial Drive homes.  Woodberry was built in the 70's for the most part and were built to be executive homes.  They have many of the details not found in homes on Imperial Drive.   Look at the sales prices today, they are selling for much more than the homes on Imperial Drive. Obviously, the people doing the reassessments were not familiar with the different areas in town.

Here's another interesting fact, in 2003, apparently Small Claims Court decisions were not entered into the database. I know that to be a fact because our 2003 assessed value is incorrect in the database. Mistake number 3.  That is why we and many other people received Notice of Change in Assessment letters in 2004 that didn't make any sense. Many of you may remember that. So if your 2003 assessed value is incorrect on our reports and you actually received a decrease in assessment from the Small Claims Court in 2003, we do not have any control over that--we simply create the reports using whatever information is in the database.

Not much else to say except that because these homes were in the wrong Neighborhood Code as a result of tax map numbers being used to determine neighborhood codes in 2001 some parcels did not get reassessed in 2003.   Think about it--how can there be rural properties in the middle of a subdivision?   What were they thinking?

The result?   We now have some people on Imperial Drive who were increased on average 15% in 2003 then trended 5.5% in 2004 and some people who were only trended 5.5% in 2004.   So some people had to grieve their assessment and then go to Small Claims Court while others had to do nothing.   Fair assessing in the Town of New Hartford?   You decide.

If you haven't read our report "The Rest of the Story" , you might want to do that now--it will help clarify the tax map number question.

Take a look at our other spreadsheets (in pdf format--you will need 8.5 by 14 paper to print or you will have to piece smaller sheets together after printing) Paris Road, Higby Road, Jordan Road and Lloyds Lane.  More streets will be added.

Please keep watching this site if you want to know what really happened.  Email us New Hartford, N.Y. Online if you have any questions or better yet, check with the assessor to see if he agrees with our reports and then ask him "How Come?"

The International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) defines a neighborhood as "(1) The environment of a subject property that has a direct and immediate effect on value.  (2)  A geographic area of properties sharing important location characteristics defined for purposes of market analysis or modeling (typically with fewer than several thousand properties)."  Notice both of these definitions revolve around the notion of effect of location on value.

In simpler terms, a "neighborhood" consists of properties that are comparable in terms of the probability of a buyer being equally as interested in buying House A as they would be in buying House B.  In other words, if I was a buyer, I would not be interested in looking at a house in a neighborhood code made up with homes that are 1,000 sq. ft. when I intend to buy a 5,000 sq. ft. home. Therefore, the 1,000 sq. ft. home should not be in the same neighborhood code as the 5,000 sq. ft. home.