Wake County's 2027 revaluation: what it means for your lot or new house

Wake County is getting ready to put a new value on every lot and home, and the rulebook appraisers will use is now up for public comment.

On Sept. 21, 2026, county commissioners reviewed the proposed 2027 Schedule of Values. The county says this manual explains how its appraisers set market value for more than 460,000 residential and commercial properties. The board scheduled a public hearing for its regular meeting on Oct. 5, 2026. According to the county's Schedule of Values page, commissioners will consider adopting it on Oct. 19.

What a revaluation does, and doesn't do

A revaluation resets the tax value of all land and buildings. The new values will reflect market conditions as of Jan. 1, 2027. The values in use now date from Jan. 1, 2024, and after 2027 Wake will revalue every two years, according to the county's revaluation FAQ.

Revaluation does not set the tax rate. Your bill is your assessed value times a rate per $100 of value that county and town officials set. The bill due Sept. 1, 2027 will use the new values and rates approved in June 2027. The county says no one can know how a particular bill will change until the rate is set. State law requires officials to publish a "revenue-neutral" rate for comparison, though they don't have to adopt it, and in January you'll be able to see estimates based on it.

Tax Administrator Marcus Kinrade said a revaluation "can be a stressful process for many residents."

What it means if you're buying land or building

The proposed 2027 Schedule of Values has several sections worth a family's attention:

• Houses under construction. Under state law, a partly finished building is appraised by how complete it is on Jan. 1.
• New homes. The schedule says a house built in 2027 will be appraised from what similar homes were selling for when the schedule was compiled. What it cost to build is not considered.
• Lots that don't perc. If a lot has no public water and sewer and a suitable septic system can't be installed, its value may be reduced. The owner must provide proof. The reduction ends if sewer arrives or a septic system goes in.
• Road access. Land values assume paved-road access. An adjustment may apply for a dirt or gravel road, a landlocked parcel or a road that exists only on paper.
• Flood zones and terrain. Appraisers may consider FEMA flood zones and flood-prone soils, plus slopes, ledges, depressions and odd shapes.

Between revaluations, the assessor can change a value for physical changes such as additions, a new detached garage or dividing land into smaller lots.

What comes next

The Oct. 5 hearing is the chance to comment on the rules themselves. After the board adopts the schedule, state law requires notice to be published for four successive weeks. An owner who thinks the schedule is invalid can appeal to the NC Property Tax Commission within 30 days of the first notice.

The county's revaluation page lays out the rest: results go to the board on Jan. 19, 2027, and notices of new values should start arriving by Jan. 22. The planned deadline to appeal your own value is April 30, 2027.

You can look up your current value and land and building data at services.wake.gov/realestate. For revaluation questions, the county lists taxhelp.wake.gov, 919-857-3800 and revaluation@wake.gov.