The Marshall County reappraisal project has drawn much scrutiny and interest since it was announced and subsequently began at the beginning of December, and the president of Vanguard Appraisals, Eric Kruse, shared an update in an email to the T-R on Monday.

Kruse said the Cedar Rapids based company has completed several projects in central Iowa over the last few years — including in neighboring Hardin and Tama counties — and dove into information about participation rates, as many residents have expressed skepticism or outright hostility to the idea of allowing Vanguard staff into their homes.

“It can vary slightly by jurisdiction. However, an overall average participation rate where interior information is completely verified is typically around 55 to 60 percent. A 25-30% estimate rate and 10 percent refusal rate is fairly common as well. We are usually able to verify exterior information on over 95 percent of properties,” he said.

Kruse then more specifically responded to a question about privacy and fear of higher assessments and, ultimately, higher property taxes.

“It is important for taxpayers to keep in mind that accurate information will result in a better reappraisal project and fairer valuations. We understand privacy concerns, but an interior inspection typically only takes a few minutes, and our data collectors are only concerned with the physical features of the house, not personal possessions,” he said. “On a typical reappraisal, not all properties increase in value. It depends on many factors including location, current market conditions, and the physical condition of the home. Property tax levies are set by local governing bodies, so I cannot speak to that subject. However, an increase in value does not always mean an increase in taxes.”

Thus far, a single data collector has been working to appraise properties on the north side of Marshalltown, and Kruse said the reception from homeowners has been “fairly positive.” The project is currently “on schedule,” he added, with more data collectors set to join later this winter or into the spring of 2026.

“Once that occurs, we will be able to spread out throughout the city fairly quickly. Due to the size of the City of Marshalltown, it will more than likely be later in 2026 before we move to the smaller towns and rural areas,” Kruse said.

Questions should be directed to the Marshall County Assessor’s Office at (641) 754-6305.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.