Anticipated property tax increases and the timing of home sales: Evidence from administrative data

The infrequent reassessment of properties results in a divergence between the assessed values of current owners and prospective purchasers. This divergence is reduced when properties are reassessed, as is the tax “wedge” between current owners and prospective buyers. We examine how a reassessment-induced reduction in this tax wedge affects home sales. Using data from Lexington, KY and our preferred approach, we find that reassessments are associated with an increase in sales of approximately 5%. Using an alternative approach, we find that a 10% increase in taxes due to reassessment increases the probability of a sale by 3%.