Special to The Citizen

New assessments giving higher property values will soon be on the way to most South Fulton homeowners.

And unless local governments reduce tax rates accordingly, those higher assessments will result in higher taxes.

In April, more than half of all Fulton County home and commercial property owners will receive property reassessment notices from the county tax assessor's office.

Out of 235,000 residential properties, notices will be sent to about 170,000 property owners by the Fulton County Board of Assessors April 17. Out of the county's 23,000 commercial properties, notices will be sent to about 8,000 commercial property owners.

State law mandates that all counties conduct property reappraisals every three years. Fulton County's last major reappraisal occurred in 1998.

Since that time, most real estate sectors and the general economy have been strong, and interest rates and inflation have remained low. These factors, combined with financial markets at record levels and very high occupancy rates, have created rising property values, according to a news release from the assessor's office.

By law, the Board of Assessors must appraise real property at fair market value. Most of the value change notices the Board of Assessors expects to issue will represent value increases.

This does not mean there will be a tax increase, the assessors point out. The millage rates set by various taxing authorities, i.e., school boards, municipalities and Fulton County, determine whether taxes rise or fall.

"It is the not the purpose of the reappraisal to raise taxes," said a spokesman for the assessors.

Homeowner association representatives may call 404-730-6430 to arrange for assessors to address their groups.