Property Tax Records in Kansas

If you own a property in Kansas, you're required by law to pay taxes unless you qualify for specific exemptions, such as living in a nursing home during the tax-specific year. The average property tax rate in Kansas is around 1.33%, which is somewhat higher than the national average of 1.11%.

Since each county in Kansas can set its own tax rate, the taxes you pay every year depend on where you live. The amount is also determined by the size and value of your home. A higher property value leads to an increase in taxes.

You'll receive a notice of your home's assessed value at the beginning of March every year. This notice allows you to identify how much taxes you'll need to pay. You won't receive the final tax statement until November 1. You'll then have until December 20 to pay taxes for the first half of the year. Your property taxes for the second half of the year will need to be paid by May 10.

Since around 1876, property taxes in Kansas have remained largely the same. In the early 20th century, the assessment process took a little over a month and would often occur in March each year. Before 1918, real estate was assessed once every two years. From 1918 to 1956, assessments would only be done once every four years. Today, county assessors identify property values every six years.

When you receive your tax bill in the mail, you'll see your home's appraised value and its assessed value. The appraised value is designed to reflect how much the home would sell for on the market.

Appraised values are recalculated every year. If you made substantial renovations to your home, your home's appraised value would likely increase. As mentioned previously, your home must be appraised by the county every six years. Some counties choose to do so more often.

The second number you'll see on your tax bill is the home's assessed value, which is 11.5% of the appraised value. The best aspect of paying property taxes in Kansas is that the assessment ratio is low. In some states, it's as high as 80%-100% of the market value. If your home has a market value of $250,000, the assessed value will be just $28,750. In this situation, the tax rate will be applied to the assessed value, which is $28,750.

Kansas tax rates are displayed as mill levies. A single mill levy equals $1 in taxes for each $1,000 of assessed value. If your home has a $28,750 assessed value and a mill levy of 25, your property taxes will amount to just under $719 for the year. Keep in mind that there's also a 20-mill tax rate that's used to pay for education. However, the initial $20,000 in a home's assessed value is exempt from this tax. The average tax rates for the top five Kansas counties are:

As you can see, Wyandotte County property taxes are high compared to other counties in Kansas. However, the ranges aren't too wide, as other counties have similar property tax rates.

When the county tax assessor collects your property taxes, the money will be used to pay for public services like roads, police protection, fire protection, public schools, and parks.

While some public and government buildings aren't taxed, all other tangible real estate in Kansas will be. If you want to know the history of property taxes before buying a home or taking part in a public auction, each county in Kansas offers public tax records, which can be accessed online. These records contain details like tax payments, delinquency information, and property descriptions.

In Sedgwick County, you can search for tax records by entering a PIN or a property's address. Once you enter this info, you can select the tax records for a specific property. You'll then receive a list of categories you can navigate to, which involve:

The types of information you can find in these reports include the following:

Kansas provides property owners with a series of exemptions and deductions that effectively reduce the amount they pay every year. If you own a home, you can apply for Homestead, SAFESR, or SVR tax refunds. You must file your claim for a refund between January 1 and April 15. This process can typically be completed online through the county's website. Here are a few of the exemptions you might qualify for.

Homestead Property Tax Refund: The Homestead exemption allows you to claim a rebate on your primary home. Keep in mind that this exemption is available for single-family properties, mobile homes, and manufactured homes. The refund percentage you qualify for depends on your household's total income. Your property taxes will then be reduced by this percentage.

Senior or Disabled Veteran (SVR) Property Tax Refund: The SVR tax refund claim is specifically available to disabled veterans and senior citizens. The total refund amount is equal to the difference between your existing property tax amount and the base year amount. If you claim this refund, you can't apply for the SAFESR or Homestead one. To qualify for the SVR or SAFESR refund, you must earn $53,600 or less in annual income. Your property must also be valued at $350,000 or less.

SAFESR Property Tax Relief: The SAFESR tax relief claim is available for senior citizens who make less than $53,600 per year. To qualify, you need to be at least 65 years old. The refund amounts to 75% of the taxes that you're tasked with paying. If you receive this refund, you can't claim an SVR or Homestead one.

Kansas makes it easy for the public to find property tax records. If you want to do your due diligence before making an offer on a property, tax records will give you all the details you need to make an informed decision. When searching property tax records, you can either access the county's online database or use a third-party tool, the primary of which is PropertyChecker.

If you decide to search for property records with your county's database, you should be able to find them by entering the query "property tax records in (name of your county)". Once you reach the website, all you need to do is enter some type of identifier, which can be the owner's name or the property address.

As for PropertyChecker, this is one of many third-party tools that provides users with easy access to Kansas property tax records. If you know a name, address, parcel ID, or phone number associated with the property, you can start your search. Once you enter this information, you'll receive a considerable amount of property data that includes everything from sales history to tax records. You will have access to the names of the property owners, as well as some other documents.

Every few years, the appraiser in your county will estimate your home's market value as of January 1. While these estimates are often accurate, appraisers can make mistakes. When you get your property tax bill, it might show a significant increase to last year's taxes.

When this occurs, you can file an appeal with the state of Kansas. Keep in mind that the way to win an appeal is to show evidence that proves your assessment is too high. To appeal your property taxes in Kansas, you must take part in a structured process that begins by setting up an informal hearing. Below is a step-by-step guide on what to expect from the appeals process.

Step 1: Assessment notices are often mailed to homeowners in the first two weeks of March. If you believe that the assessed value doesn't accurately reflect your property's current market value, you should consider filing an appeal.

Step 2: Contact the county assessor's office to schedule a hearing within 30 days after you file an appeal.

Step 3: An informal hearing will take place on the scheduled date with the county's appraiser. During this hearing, the appraiser will need to give you documentation that supports the assessed value of your property. You can then explain why this value might be inaccurate. The result of this hearing will be mailed to you in a couple of weeks.

Step 4: If your appeal is approved, you might receive a reduction to your home's assessed value. Otherwise, you can appeal the results of your informal hearing with the Small Claims Division. To appeal, the property's value must be lower than $2 million. Only single-family residential homes will qualify.

Step 5: A Small Claims decision can also be appealed with the Board of Tax Appeals. Make sure you file this appeal within 30 days after you get the Small Claims decision in the mail. The hearing will be held within 30 days after you file the appeal.

When buying or selling a home, property taxes and records can factor into the transaction. Over 30 years, the property taxes on your home might add up to more than the market value, which is why they play a significant role in most real estate transactions. The average property tax rate of 1.33% in Kansas might not seem unreasonably high for most buyers. However, tax rates vary from county to county.

The property tax rate in Stevens County is around 2.07%. Potential buyers might find these taxes too high, which may push them to consider homes in counties with lower tax rates. Keep in mind that property taxes are often included as part of monthly mortgage payments. Sizable property tax bills can lead to high mortgage payments. Homeowners may be able to counteract this issue by providing buyers with concessions or accepting an offer that's lower than the current asking price.

Property taxes should also be considered when investing in real estate. If you rent out the property, you can earn income with the monthly payments you collect from tenants. However, the income you bring in will be reduced by any expenses you pay for the month. If your property tax bill is high, your monthly mortgage payments and all other management costs could push your expenses above your income. Consider property tax rates before buying a home in Kansas.

If you're an investor, you can put your money into property taxes. Every county in Kansas hosts annual property tax sales. When a homeowner has at least three years of unpaid property taxes, the county can place a lien on their home, which usually covers the amount of delinquent taxes. These liens are then sold to investors and buyers in the county through public auctions. If you're a real estate investor who has a keen eye for properties, Kansas property tax sales are a great way to pick up some bargains.

If you win a property tax bid, you'll need to pay all delinquent taxes immediately. If you make this payment on time, you'll be able to collect the taxes and interest from the homeowner. Most homeowners will start repaying their delinquent taxes once the lien on their property is sold. If they don't pay, you can begin the foreclosure process to ensure you get the money you're owed.