Thomson Reuters and the National Association of Counties (NACo) recently released the results of their Annual Local Property Markets Survey.
The survey results indicate a strengthening recovery for local property markets. Key findings include:
• 72 percent of U.S. counties surveyed reported an increase in assessed property values.
• 64 percent of counties reported an increase in the volume of records processed in the last year, a good indicator of the overall economic activity for local property markets.
• 29 percent of counties reported an increase in foreclosures, versus 23 percent reporting a decrease.
The survey also examined staffing levels for county tax, assessor, and recording offices — 13 percent reported staff reductions compared with