Assessors

Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2024: $11.79
(per thousand dollars of valuation)
 
The Assessor's office is open on Mondays 12pm-6pm, and Tuesdays - Thursdays 8am-4pm.
 
Hubbardston has contacted Regional Resource Group for Assessing Services since 2011, a representative from their office is present at town hall on Wednesdays from 9am-4pm.
 
The office may be contacted via telephone at 978-928-1400 Ext. 203 or 202, and email at assessors@hubbardstonma.com 
 

Responsibilities

The Assessor's Office is required by Massachusetts law to list and value all real and personal property as of January 1. All assessed values in Massachusetts are based on "full and fair cash value." The Assessors are responsible for meeting the certification requirements of the Department of Revenue. To meet these requirements, the Assessors are obligated to revalue all town properties yearly, and undergo a recertification audit from the state once every five years. 

The Assessor's Office also administers the following programs: 

  • Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Abatement
  • Personal Property Form of List
  • Senior, Veteran, Blind, & Surviving Children/Spouse Real Estate Exemptions
  • Chapter Land (61, 61A, 61B)
  • 3ABC Exemptions
  • Tax Deferrals
  • Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Abatements
  • Property/Parcel Information 
  • Abutter's Lists
  • Name/Address Changes
  • Registry of Deeds Information
  • Property Map Data Updates

The Board of Assessors is an elected board made up of three members. One member is elected each year for a three-year term.

Why does my value change?

State law requires assessors to estimate the fair market of all properties within their jurisdiction.  With this mandate comes the requirement that assessors conduct annual revaluations.  Revaluations not only respond to the ever-changing real estate market, but are opportunities for assessors to improve the quality of property data and the underlying valuation methods used to estimate values.

If you observe a change in your valuation, the difference can be attributed to one or more of the following:

-  Market appreciation or depreciation
-  Building permit related construction and improvements-  Inspections made as part of our periodic inspection program in which features listed on assessment records are updated.
-  Internal data quality reviews designed to insure consistent recording of property features.
-  Changes resulting from our annual assessment studies that identify areas where our valuation models and underlying tables must be adjusted to improve assessment uniformity
-  Re-balancing of land and building values

-  Response to new legislative enactments and Department of Revenue guidelines

Assessed valuations are not intended to predict what a property might sell for in the future.  Assessors are only concerned with what properties were worth on the assessment date - the January 1st preceding the fiscal year of taxation.  Properties having sold in the 24-month period preceding the assessment date influence our valuation model.  Our office monitors the correlation between assessments and sale prices on sold properties to ensure that all property owners are assessed fairly and that no class of property is over or under assessed.

Assessed valuations are estimates of market value.  Many factors influence what a buyer might pay for a property, but only those that are readily quantifiable are used in estimating your valuation.  For example, your assessment is based on features like location, land area, building area, type and grade of construction, age and condition, and amenities like garages, swimming pools and finished basements.   Examples of property features not considered in your assessment include curb appeal, home décor, landscaping, and even annoying neighbors.

Inspections
 

Assessors inspect the property for a number of reasons. Reason number one is that it is the law. According to the Massachusetts DOR we must inspect each property every 10 years and that inspection should be a full measure of the exterior and an attempt at gaining entry for interior information. Secondly, by inspecting the property, we are keeping our data accurate which helps us calculate assessed values that are fair and equitable.
BLANK QUESTIONNAIRE FORM 

What does the inspection consist of?

A letter is mailed to homeowners who are part of the neighborhood inspection cycle. If your neighbor did not receive a letter it is most likely because we have visited their house more recently, generally as a result of a permit application or other reason.
-Our Assessors will visit a house and knock on the door. Each Assessor will be wearing an identification badge, the police department is always notified when an assessor is out. If no one is home, we will measure the exterior of the property to verify our information. We may leave a door tag with our information to let you know we visited and again offer the opportunity to call us and set up an appointment for an interior inspection.
-If someone is home or has setup an appointment with us, the interior walk-through takes about 10-15 minutes. We verify information such as number of bedrooms and bathrooms and distinguish finished from unfinished areas, such as basements and attics.
-Please be advised that we will never go through a home unaccompanied and must be with an adult at all times (no minors).
 

Do I have to let the assessors into my home?

-You do not need to let the assessors in. We respect your privacy. We also understand that our visit may be at “not a good time.” That is why we mail a letter and leave a door tag to allow homeowners to set up an appointment at a time more convenient for them.
-If you do not allow entry into the home, we are forced to estimate your interior information. We do not estimate that you have had major renovations done, but we do have to make a judgement call on the condition of your property. Our goal again is to make sure all assessed values are fair.
-Note if you refuse to allow entry to your home, any formal appeals will be denied
 

What is the benefit to me to let the assessors in?

There are benefits to allowing the assessors interior access to your home.
-First, you know that your assessment is based on the correct data.
-Second, If your information is already accurate, our inspections likely will result in no changes or only minor changes that have little to no effect on the value.
-Third, our data is public record. Public record data is utilized by websites such as Redfin, Zillow, and MLS. If you want your public record data to be accurate, setting up an inspection with our office is the first step.
 

Are you trying to raise taxes?

This program is not an effort to raise taxes. The amount the Town can tax is regulated by Proposition 2 ½ and the budget is voted annually at Town Meeting. The goal of Property Assessment is to ensure that we are treating all property owners fairly and equitably. If we are doing that, then each taxpayer is paying his or her “fair share” of the tax burden. Assessors main function is the valuation of property, taxes are the result of what the town needs to appropriate to fund the budget. Please attend your town annual meeting to be informed and have a voice in town spending. 

*Please see below for Staff Contacts and Board Members.

Staff Contacts

Name Title Phone
Rob Heckman Regional Associate Assessor 9789281400
Candace M. Livingston 9789281400

Board Members

NameTitleTerm
John K Prentiss

Chair

June 2025

Jeffrey A Young

Member

June 2024

Albert Afonso

Member

June 2026