Matt Cowley Tauranga City Councillor

The media is full of reports of property values changing around the city. You will find out how much your capital valuation (CV) has changed in November.

A higher CV looks good when you sell the property, but a higher CV means you pay higher council rates. This is because Tauranga City Council distributes its rate requirements according to the capital values of the 52,000 properties throughout the city.

Tauranga City Council has asked an independent valuer to revaluate each property in the city. The valuations will be based on fact, largely determined by property market trends.

The consultant has started to analyse what different things have influenced house sales, such as the types of housing, construction materials and what's been happening in your neighbourhood.

But the CV does not include the chattels. This means the market value of your property could be $20,000+ more than its CV if you have invested in new carpets, wallpaper and curtains.

I'll be interested to see whether the tsunami and flood modelling has affected property values. This is where some common-sense comes into the valuations as coastal areas are obviously exposed to tsunami risks.

The valuators will be visiting properties throughout the city from late October. You will be given until 15 January 2016 to make any objections on the valuation you receive.

Feel free to email me your thoughts to: matt.cowley@tauranga.govt.nz), call/text me on: 027 6989548, and follow me at: www.facebook.com/a.younger.voice