Understanding Buncombe County's Property Tax Changes: What Homeowners Need to Know
If you've been following local news, you've probably heard that North Carolina recently passed a law affecting how property taxes will be calculated in Buncombe County this year.
At first glance, the headlines make it sound simple: property owners will receive tax bills based on older property values instead of the newly issued 2026 appraisals. Many homeowners understandably assume that means they'll pay less in property taxes.
The reality is more complicated.
Why Property Reappraisals Exist
Property reappraisals are intended to ensure that property values reflect current market conditions. Buncombe County's most recent countywide reappraisal became effective on January 1, 2026, updating values that had been in place since the previous reappraisal in 2021.
Reappraisals are not designed solely to increase tax revenue. Instead, they redistribute the tax burden so that owners of properties that have appreciated more rapidly generally pay a larger share of the overall tax levy, while properties that have appreciated less may shoulder a smaller share.
Following a reappraisal, local governments typically adopt a revenue-neutral tax rate - a rate that would generate approximately the same amount of revenue from existing property as the previous year, excluding new construction and other additions to the tax base. If property values rise significantly across the county, the tax rate generally decreases accordingly.
What Changed?
Earlier this month, Buncombe County adopted its budget using the newly completed property reappraisal and a lower tax rate based on those updated values.
However, on June 19, Governor Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 889 (Property Tax Reappraisal Moratorium) into law. The legislation temporarily prevents certain North Carolina counties with 2026 reappraisals - including Buncombe County - from using those new appraised values for this year's property tax bills.
When signing the bill, Governor Stein said:
"The cost of living is too high. This law provides tax relief for North Carolinians who are feeling pain in their pocketbooks."
At the same time, he expressed concern that the legislation could negatively affect Buncombe County's recovery from Hurricane Helene and urged lawmakers to pass separate legislation that would exempt Buncombe County from the moratorium.
Does This Mean Your Tax Bill Will Go Down?
Not necessarily.
This is where much of the public confusion begins.
Property taxes are determined by two factors:
Your property's assessed value.
The tax rate adopted by your local government.
Using an older, lower property value does not automatically produce a lower tax bill.
Buncombe County has already adopted a budget that funds schools, public safety, emergency services, health and human services, parks, infrastructure, and continued Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Those expenses don't disappear simply because the assessment values change.
If the county cannot use the newly appraised values, it may need to adopt a higher tax rate using the older tax base in order to generate the revenue necessary to fund the adopted budget. County officials have indicated that this could require significant adjustments to the tax rate and budget that had already been approved.
Why This Has Become So Controversial
Supporters of Senate Bill 889 argue that rapidly increasing property values can create financial hardship for homeowners, particularly those on fixed incomes, and that delaying implementation of the new appraisals provides temporary relief.
Opponents - including many county officials - argue that the legislation creates uncertainty after local governments have already completed their budget process. They also note that delaying the use of updated property values does not eliminate the need to fund county services, meaning tax rates may have to increase to compensate.
The Bottom Line
The key takeaway is this:
Don't assume that using the older property values automatically means you'll pay less in property taxes.
Your final tax bill depends on both the assessed value of your property and the tax rate ultimately adopted by Buncombe County. A lower assessed value paired with a higher tax rate can produce a tax bill that is similar to—or in some cases different from—what would have resulted under the new appraisals.
This situation is still evolving, particularly as lawmakers continue discussing legislation that could exempt Buncombe County from the moratorium.
As those decisions are made, Jason Land Realty will continue monitoring the situation and providing updates to help homeowners understand what these changes mean for our community and our local real estate market.
