Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why aren't market or assessed values shown?
A: Value information is subject to change, either caused by changes in a property's description or by the action of the Board of Review. To avoid confusion we do not display it.

Q: Why is property information for Commercial property not shown?
A: Commercial property is currently being relisted. When all of it is deemed accurate it will be shown.

Q: Why aren't site areas shown?
A: Residential sites are stored and valued by the front foot. Since many sites have an irregular shape, the frontage and depth are approximated for use in their valuation.

Q: What is the source of the "Owner and Legal Information"?
A: The Rockford Township Assessor's Office receives this information from Winnebago County. The ultimate source are recorded documents such as deeds, plats, surveys and so on.

Q: What is a "Card"?
A: Each habitable structure is listed as a separate record or card. For example, if a property contains two houses that property will have two cards.

Q: Where does the Year Built come from?
A: For structures built in the past 50 years or so the source is the building permit. Generally, the Year Built for older houses is an educated guess.

Q: Why are there no dwellings having a Year Built prior to 1900?
A: Our Database system does not have the capability to store years before 1900. Therefore "1900" means 1900 or before.

Q: What are the different types of Attics?
A: NONE - No attic or an attic area without a permanent stairway
UNFINISHED - Unfinished area accessed by a permanent staircase
PART FINISHED - Like Unfinished, but having some finished, heated area
FULL FINISH - Fully finished and heated
FULL FIN WALL HGT - Fully finished and heated, with at least one dormer

Q: What is the difference between "Rec Room" area and "Finished Basement Living Area"?
A: In both cases the amount of finish must be sufficient to qualify as useful space that contributes to value and is shown in square feet. The difference between the two is that Finished Basement Living Area is found in basements that are partially or fully exposed.

Q: Are prefabricated fireplaces listed as "Wood Burning Fireplaces"?
A: No.

Q: What is a "Part Masonry Wall"?
A: This classification is used when a building has some brick veneer, but not enough to qualify to list the Exterior Walls as Brick and Frame. Shown in square feet, it typically used for cases of brick trim, half wall brick fronts, etc.

Q: What is meant by "Unfinished Area"?
A: This is that part of a building that is not habitable due to destruction (fire, storm damage, etc.), demolition or incomplete construction.

Q: What is "Total Living Area" and "Above Grade Living Area"?
A: Total Living Area is shown in square feet and includes the building area, minus any Unfinished Area, plus any Basement Living Area. Above Grade Living Area is the same except that it does include any space below grade. In both instances the areas of structures such as garages and porches are NOT included.

Q: How accurate are the measurements and areas?
A: Dimensions are rounded to the nearest foot. Therefore, areas may not be absolutely accurate. Use the dimensions and areas shown on this site with caution!

Q: Where is the day in the sale date?
A: We record only a sale's sale month and year.

Q: What is meant by a sale "Type"?
A: Three types of sales are possible: land only, improvements only and land plus improvements. Note that an otherwise vacant property will be listed as Land & Bldg if it contains any improvement that generates a value, no matter how small a value that may be.

Q: Why doesn't the Sale Price (Amount) match that from another source such as a Multiple Listing Service?
A: The sale prices listed are NET amounts after any declared personal property is deducted from the total sale price. We do not keep track of the value of personal property claimed, if any.

Q: What is meant by Validity?
A: Internally this is how we delineate sales that qualify as good, market sales from those that may not qualify as arms length transactions.

Q: What does "Delete" mean?
A: This designator is applied to a sale if more than one property was sold or if the property was not exposed to the open market.

Q: Where does the Building Permit information come from?
A: We receive notifications from the Cities of Rockford, Loves Park and from Winnebago County.

Q: Why do some of the Permit dates have "00" as the month?
A: We list the month and year in which each building permit is issued. If an inspection reveals that an improvement was added without a building permit it is designated by listing the month as "00".

Q: How accurate is the Permit Amount?
A: This is the figure, often rounded, that the permit applicant estimated as the cost of the work being done. Our best advice is to use this figure with a good deal of caution. The Purpose column shows the work being done in summary form.

Q: Why are some dimensions not shown?
A: Every effort is made to draw the Sketch to scale. Small or crowded dimensions are not shown in the interest of legibility.

Q: Where is the front of the building?
A: It is always at the bottom, as if facing it from the street.

Q: What is an Attachment or Addition?
A: For descriptive purposes each building has a main section, labeled as "A" in the Attachments table. Any attached structure such as more living space, garage, porch, deck, etc. are additions.

Q: What sort of improvement is included in this section?
A: Detached buildings such as sheds, garages and agricultural building. In addition detached decks, patios and porches plus such things as swimming pools and tennis courts. Driveways are listed, but not valued (the items with no size and a year built of 1900).

Q: Other than driveways what other types of improvements are not valued?
A: Sidewalks, fences, landscaping plus any improvement not permanently affixed to the land are not listed.