Property owners in Orange County should prepare for sticker shock this week as revaluation notices hit mailboxes with what officials are calling “unprecedented” increases (of course – it is 2025, after all). Home values have surged approximately 52 percent countywide since the last assessment in 2021, reflecting the red-hot real estate market throughout the region.
Tax Administration Director Nancy Freeman warns that these higher values could translate to higher tax bills, though the actual tax rates won’t be set until June. She urges residents to carefully review their assessments immediately upon receipt and consider appealing if values seem inaccurate.
So, are my taxes going to go up?
Not necessarily. But maybe. OK, probably. But not as much as your property value has. Unless our elected officials have lost their minds. Which they may have. We’ll see.
The last revaluation was… problematic
In 2021, Northside residents in Chapel Hill successfully challenged significant property tax inequities when they discovered their historically Black neighborhood faced a 53 percent average increase in property valuations while nearby affluent areas saw minimal changes. Led by Hudson Vaughan and the Jackson Center, the community mobilized through educational campaigns, petition gathering, and filing 144 appeals that ultimately resulted in a $7 million reduction for overvalued homes and a $5-6 million increase for undervalued investor rental properties.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on similar inequities during this year’s revaluation process and will be seeking volunteers to help lower-income homeowners file appeals if needed. Keep an eye out for more information soon as we work to ensure fair and equitable property valuations for all community members.
How can I learn more about the revaluation and appeal process?
The county provides two appeal periods: an informal process running March 21-April 30, and a formal appeal window from May 1-July 31 that goes before the Board of Equalization and Review.
Property owners can verify their details online, compare their properties with similar sales, and access appeal forms through the Tax Administration’s website. For assistance, homeowners can contact the Tax Office at 919-245-2100 or [email protected] and check www.orangecountync.gov/appeal for more information.
The county has also scheduled eight informational meetings between March 18 and April 26 at various locations:
- March 18, 6 p.m. at Carrboro Town Council Meeting, Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main Street, Carrboro
- March 24, 7 p.m. at Hillsborough Town Council Meeting, Town Hall Annex Board Meeting Room, 105 E. Corbin St., Hillsborough
- March 27, 6:30 p.m. at Gaines Chapel AME Church, 4024 US -70, Efland
- April 9, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Seymour Center, 2551 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill
- April 10, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Passmore Center, 103 Meadowlands Dr, Hillsborough
- April 15, 7 p.m. at Schley Grange Hall, 3416 Schley Rd., Hillsborough
- April 16, 6 p.m. at Chapel Hill Town Council, Council Chamber, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Chapel Hill
- April 26, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Lee’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 3604 Lee’s Chapel Rd., Cedar Grove (Outreach with DSS)