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Assessors' Office

Look up your 2018 real estate assessment online

Fiscal year 2017 approved tax rate $5.97

Fiscal year 2018 approved tax rate $6.06

Look up your property location on the assessor’s  mapping system. (2017-FY2018)

Board Members:

Michael Colaneri	Chairman
Richard Cohen	Board Member
Maria McFarland	Board Member

Staff:

Dawn Barnes	Principal Assessor
Tammis Sprague	Data Collector

Purpose:

What does the Assessor’s Office do?
The mission of the West Tisbury Assessors Department is to provide fiscal stability by promptly, fairly and equitably determining the valuation of all real and personal property located in the Town of West Tisbury. The Assessor’s Department is obligated under law to assess all property at its full and fair market value each year for the purpose of taxation. This is accomplished through the maintenance and administration of all property tax data records. In addition, the department also administers motor vehicle excise tax, real, personal and motor vehicle excise tax abatements, and all statutory tax exemptions as allowed by law.

How do the Assessors value property?
The Assessors are required to assess all property at its “full and fair cash value”, also known as “market value”. Massachusetts General Laws define full and fair cash value as the price a willing buyer and a willing seller agree to, also known as an arms length sale. To determine fair market value, only arms length sales are considered. The Assessor must collect, record and analyze a great deal of information about property and market characteristics in order to estimate the fair market value, including keeping current on cost of construction in the area and any changes in zoning, financing and economic conditions which may affect property values. The Assessor uses the three nationally recognized approaches to value: market, cost and income. This data is then correlated into a final value. January 1st is known as the “assessment date”, the date used for determining the value of a property. The Assessor has the legal and statutory responsibility to track property sales and assess the property accordingly.

Does the Assessor need to inspect my house?
The Department of Revenue requires the Assessor’s Office to maintain the database, updating properties when building permits are issued, properties are sold, businesses change, and the cyclical recollection of data which is an on-going process. The Department of Revenue mandates every property in Massachusetts be inspected at least once every nine (9) years. Our property inspections are on-going, and are systematically organized to conform to the 9 year visitation cycle. An interior property inspection is an important factor in determining an equitable and accurate assessment for your property.

What is Personal Property?
Personal Property is generally those items not permanently affixed to real estate. Personal Property is movable and can be removed without serious damage either to the real estate or to the item being removed. The three categories of taxable personal properties are: (1) Business and professional fixtures, furnishings, machinery, and inventory, (2) personal property of public utilities, and (3) household furnishings in property other than the principal residence. Every year, prior to March 1, all persons subject to taxation must submit a list of all their personal property which is not exempt from taxation on a form known as the Form of List. Please see the application forms below.

Motor Vehicle Excise
Motor vehicle excise is administered through the Assessor’s Office. Adjustments to the bill are made when a vehicle is sold, traded-in, plates are transferred to a different vehicle, or when the owner moves out of state. Adjustments can only be made for the current and the previous two years. If you still have the license plates and/or still own the vehicle, the excise is still due.
It is important to remember that the bill for a vehicle you no longer own should not be ignored. Please call us with any questions at 508-696-0101.

Personal Exemptions
The Assessor’s Office annually sends out applications for exemptions to property owners who have previously received an exemption. Exemptions include: Elderly, Surviving Spouse, Veterans, Blind, and others. Please see the application forms below. As always, the Principal Assessor and Staff are available to answer your questions during regular office hours, and are happy to provide assistance in completing applications, exemptions, etc.

Applications for Abatements and Exemptions:

• Real Estate & Personal Property Abatement (Form 128)
• Applications for Abatements & Exemptions
• Veteran Statutory Exemption (Form 96)
• Blind Statutory Exemption (Form 96-3)
• Senior Statutory Exemption (Form 96-1 CL17 & 41C)
• Community Preservation Act Exemption (CP-4)
• Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement (STF 126-MVE)
• Clause 3 Statutory Exemption (Form 1B-3)
  
• 3ABC Annual Filing Property Held for Charitable Purposes (STF 3ABC)
• Boat Abatement
• Tax Deferral

Information on Abatements and Exemptions:

• Real Estate and Personal Property Abatement Instructions 2017
• Veterans
• Blind
• Elderly
• Widow(er)/Surviving Child
• Property Tax Deferral

Forms/Documents:

• Change of Address Form
-- Submit Change of Address Online
-- Download and fill in/send manually
• Form of List
• Form of List - 2nd Domicile (State form 2HF)
• Tenant Acknowledgement
  
• Island Assessors Association Dukes County Taxpayer Guide

Note: These are electronically scanned documents and as such may contain character errors. For an official copy please contact the Board of Assessors.