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There’s a long line of property owners at the tax appraisal office this week. Annual notices were mailed Friday, giving Troup County property owners a new notification of fair market value.

For the past three years House Bill 233 has been in effect, putting a moratorium on most value increases until 2012. During that three years, the appraisal office has done a county-wide review and land revaluation.

“We’ve made corrections to some properties. If a house had not been graded correctly, there could be a big change (in an appraised value),” said Dana Eaton, chief appraiser in Troup County. “We’ve got everyone to an even playing field.”

The last time a mass appraisal was done in the county was 1992. Because of that, some property owners are seeing large increases in their property values, even in a declining real estate market.

“Some have not had a thorough review in several years,” Eaton said.

The appraisals are done with an exterior review including siding, roofing and verified square footage.

“Every house is unique,” Eaton said. “We want people to appeal if they have more information for us or even if they have a question. Everyone has appeal rights. Everyone needs to look at their appraisals closely.”

That’s exactly what Danny Sossamon was doing at the appraisal office Tuesday.

“I think everyone is in agreement that Troup County land (value) is down at least 10 percent, but they say my value went way up,” said Danny Sossamon. His house and three acres was valued last year at just more than $127,000. This year, it was more than $217,000.

“If I had to sell it, I might get $175,000,” Sossamon said.

Delondia Nelson was also in the appraisal office Tuesday to appeal an increase of almost 400 percent on her mother’s Kelley Street property.

“The value went from $6,371 to $23,808. My mom’s sister lives in the house and she’s stuck paying the bill,” Nelson said.

There will be corrections made, Eaton said, but the office’s appraisals overall are in line with state requirements.

“The Department of Audits checks our evaluations every year. They want to see the ratio between actual sales prices and our assessed values to be between 38 and 42 percent. In 2011, we were at 38 percent. The year before it was 37.44 percent,” she said. “And overall, tax appraisals went down a little in the county.”

Tax appraisals are made by the Troup County Property Appraisal Office. Appeal forms are available at the appraisal office in the county government building or online at https://etax.dor.ga.gov/ptd/adm/taxguide/appeals.aspx. Appeals must be made within 45 days of the date the assessment notice was mailed.