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Habersham County Board of Tax Assessors approves 2025 property tax digest

The approved digest sets higher property values countywide, which factor into residents' tax bills for the year.

By NEGA Brief Newsroom
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September 23, 2025: 2025 tax digest

At a glance

What this means now

Where it stands

The 2025 digest was listed again on the board's September 23 meeting agenda.

The story

Starting in February, appraisal consultant Kelly McCormick told the Habersham County Board of Tax Assessors that commercial land values would rise more than residential values, and by March estimated the overall digest could increase 18-21%.

SourcesMeeting4728_02.25.25 Board of Assessor Minutes.pdfMeeting4730_03.25.25 BOA Minutes.pdf

Through the spring and early summer, the board heard that field work on roughly 10,000 parcels was underway, that some industrial park buildings were valued as low as $12 per square foot and others as high as $60 per square foot, and that consultants Terry and Kelly McCormick were refining estimates — settling on about 17% for rural land, 20-25% for commercial and industrial land, and 5-8% for residential land, plus about $100 million added through data cleanup on items such as basements.

SourcesMeeting4732_04.22.25 Board of Assessor Minutes.pdfMeeting4737_05.13.25 BOA Minutes.pdfMeeting4739_06.10.25 BOA Minutes.pdfMeeting4741_July 8 Minutes.pdf

On July 14 the Board of Tax Assessors voted unanimously to approve the 2025 tax digest, which recorded a 2025 Net Digest of $2,104,716,859, up from $1,921,794,048 in 2024, with a 17.33% residential increase, a 25% commercial increase, a 27% industrial increase and a 32% agricultural increase.

SourcesPublic Notice & Agenda- July 11, 2025 Board of Tax Assessors Called MeetingMeeting5113_July 14 Minutes.pdfPublic Notice & Agenda- July 14, 2025 Board of Tax Assessors Special Called Meeting

The Georgia Department of Revenue then did not approve the assessment notices because the EMS charge had been included on them in error. The county remailed notices on July 25 with an appeal deadline of September 8; the chief appraiser reported 158 appeals by August 12 and 918 by September 9. On September 9 the board voted unanimously to let Chairman Bill Terry sign the digest paperwork once board members gave their approval.

SourcesMeeting4740_July 22.pdfMeeting4743_08.12.25 BOA Minutes.pdfMeeting4745_09.09.25 BOA Minutes -1-.pdf

The 2025 digest was listed again on the board's September 23 meeting agenda.

SourcesAgenda

What happened

How this issue got here

Open any step for its supporting record. A proposal remains labeled as proposed until later evidence establishes an outcome.

Appeared on agenda
proposed

2025 tax digest

e. 2025 Digest f. Executive Session: Personnel

Discussed
discussed

2025 tax digest update presented by McCormick Solutions

Terry informed them that to date the office has received 918 appeals in the office.

Approved
confirmed

Authorization for Chairman Bill Terry to sign 2025 Tax Digest paperwork

Motion made by Denise York to allow Chairman Bill Terry to sign the paperwork once Ms. Garmon gets approval from the Board members

Discussed
discussed

Status update from Chief Appraiser on reval notices and appeal deadline

Mailed Notices on July 25, 2025 and we have an appeal deadline of September 8, 2025.

Discussed
discussed

2025 property reval status and 2024 DOAA Sales Ratio Study presentation by McCormick Solutions

Terry indicated that he expects a lot of commercial appeals by the September 8 deadline.

Discussed
discussed

Status update from Chief Appraiser on tax digest and Department of Revenue rejection of notices

after the Department of Revenue did not approve the notices due to the EMS being on the notice when it should not have been

Approved
confirmed

Approval of the 2025 Tax Digest

Motion made by Sonya Turgeon to approve the 2025 Gross Digest for Tax Year 2025; seconded by Denise York; voted unanimously to approve motion.

Appeared on agenda
proposed

2025 property tax digest

The agenda for the meeting is as follows: 2025 Digest Posted: July 9, 2025 9:00 a.m.

Appeared on agenda
proposed

2025 Digest

The agenda for the meeting is as follows: 2025 Digest

Discussed
discussed

Update from Terry & Kelly McCormick on homestead exemption data cleanup

Terry is cleaning up data example: basements. Kelly added $100 million by data cleanup.

Discussed
discussed

2025 property revaluation update (McCormick Appraisal)

Kelly informed the Board that Rural Land is likely to see an increase of 17%. Commercial & Industrial could see an increase of 20-25% in land and Residential land is showing a 5-8% increase.

Discussed
discussed

Concerns raised about inconsistent commercial property valuations at industrial park

Some of the buildings are $12 per square foot and some are $60 per square foot.

Discussed
discussed

2025 countywide property revaluation update (McCormick appraisal firm)

Terry & Kelly McCormick appeared before the Board to provide an update. Terry provided an update and he indicated it will be a push to get it done.

Discussed
discussed

2025 Habersham County property revaluation progress update

Mr. McCormick indicated that 10,000 parcels have been reviewed. The field work should be completed by the end of May

Discussed
discussed

Tax digest update from appraisal consultant Kelly McCormick

There will possibly be a 18-21 % increase in the digest according to the information Mr. McCormick has reviewed thus far.

Discussed
discussed

2025 commercial/residential property ratio and land value update from appraisal consultant McCormick

Kelly thinks there will be some changes in land values. The Land values in commercial properties will go up but not so much for residential properties.

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