Equalization Department - Mass Appraisal Process

The Equalization Office utilizes mass appraisal procedures to determine the market value of property within the county.

Mass appraisal is the process of valuing a group of properties as of a given date and using common data, standardized methods, and statistical testing.  To determine a parcel's value, assessing officers must rely upon valuation equations, tables, and schedules developed through mathematical analysis of market data.  Values for individual parcels should not be based solely on the sale price of a property; rather, valuation schedules and models should be consistently applied to property data that are correct, complete, and up-to-date.

Properly administered, the development, construction, and use of a CAMA system results in a valuation system characterized by accuracy, uniformity, equity, reliability, and low per-parcel costs.  Except for unique properties, individual analyses and appraisals of properties are not practical for ad valorem tax purposes.

The accuracy of values depends first and foremost on the completeness and accuracy of property characteristics and market data.

All property in South Dakota is assessed annually. Not all property is inspected every year. All new property in Pennington County is inspected by an appraiser from the Equalization Department. Existing properties are inspected periodically depending upon scheduled reviews of neighborhoods, discovered errors in property assessments, or changes to the property. The office is always willing to inspect a property and review property information at the request of a property owner.