Buncombe County explains 2026 property reappraisal and appeals process

A higher Buncombe County assessment can push the county portion of a homeowner’s bill up even if the house itself has not changed. At 61.54 cents per $100 of assessed value, every extra $10,000 in taxable value adds $61.54 to the county bill before any exemption or deferment is applied.

What the 2026 reappraisal means

Buncombe County’s property system is built around market value, not what a homeowner paid years ago. North Carolina law requires counties to reappraise all real property at least once every eight years, and state law defines true value as market value, the price estimated between a willing buyer and seller. The county tries to stay on a four-year schedule, which is why residents are used to hearing about reappraisal as a countywide reset rather than a one-off adjustment.

For Buncombe, the next reset was delayed by Helene, and the reappraisal is effective Jan. 1, 2026. All properties were assigned updated values reflecting the real estate market as of January 2026, which means the assessment is meant to capture what a property would have sold for on that date, not what it sold for in a different market years earlier. That applies across the county’s mix of downtown Asheville apartments, older homes, mountain lots, mobile homes, commercial buildings and rural acreage, where price swings do not land evenly.

New legislation will affect property owners, and the 2021 Schedule of Values will be used for 2026 tax bills. The 2026 tax year is a mix of reappraisal rules, legislative changes and budget decisions that homeowners need to sort through carefully.

How to check whether the county got your value right

The fastest place to start is Buncombe County’s Tax Lookup portal. It lets you search property record cards, comparable sales and property appeals, and it also gives access to assessment and tax data, property sales, permits, census information and school information. A good appeal usually starts with the county’s own records, especially if the listed square footage, acreage, improvements or comparable sales do not match what is actually on the ground.

Property Assessor Eric Cregger has used county briefings, including a Feb. 4 livestream and a March 26 appeals-clinic presentation, to explain what the new values mean and how to challenge them. The county also put out a Jan. 1, 2026 news flash on the rollout. If the new value seems out of line, compare your property record card against recent nearby sales and check whether the county has counted additions, repairs or other changes correctly.

A practical review of the portal should focus on a few concrete items:

• the property record card for the exact size, age and features listed for your home
• comparable sales close to your neighborhood or property type
• permit records if recent work may have changed the county’s view of the property
• the tax appeal option, which can be started online through the portal

Appeals are part of the system, not an exception

Buncombe County has an official Property Value Appeals page for owners who believe the market value is too high or the property details are wrong. The first step is an informal appeal form, and the county has held reappraisal appeal clinics to answer questions and connect owners with tax relief programs. If your assessment looks off, the county’s own process is built for that challenge.

The most useful evidence is the county’s own data, because that is what the assessor used to set the value. A property record card, comparable sales from the same area, and any permit history can all help show whether the county’s estimate matches reality.

Relief programs can lower or delay the pain

Appeals are only one option. Buncombe County points homeowners to three major relief paths: the senior/disability exclusion, the veterans with service disability exemption and the circuit breaker program. The deadline to apply is June 1, and late applications may be accepted case by case.

Qualifying residents are 65 or older and living on a low income, or 100% disabled and living on a low income. Veterans with a total and permanent service-connected disability, or unmarried surviving spouses, may qualify for relief. The circuit breaker program is a property tax deferment for qualifying senior residents and permanently disabled residents, which means the tax is postponed under the program rules rather than simply erased.

For help, the Buncombe County Tax Department lists (828) 250-4910. That is the number to use if you need help deciding whether to file an appeal, apply for an exclusion or ask about the circuit breaker before the June 1 deadline passes.

Why the countywide fight matters to a single bill

A sampling of data suggested Buncombe’s reappraisal could shift part of the tax burden from businesses to homeowners.

The budget stakes are large too. Buncombe County could face a roughly $24.8 million loss under a property appraisal moratorium scenario, and under an approved plan the county would use 2025 property values and increase the county tax rate.

For a Buncombe homeowner, the immediate task is simple: check the county’s market-value estimate against the property record, file an appeal if the number is wrong, and pursue relief by June 1 if you qualify.