Homeowner Challenges Town�s $1.359 million Assessment, Cites Independent Appraisal

Gwen Noto appealed the towns valuation of her home at 192 Lolli Boulevard on March 23, telling an appeals board member that an independent appraisal and photographs show deferred maintenance and layout features that reduce market value. The town valued the property at $1,359,079; Noto asked for a reduction to $1,265,000.

Noto, who said she has lived in the house for 26 years, presented an appeal cover sheet, property-card records and a professional appraisal by Harriet Boster. She told the board she could put Boster on the phone if the panel wanted to hear from the appraiser directly. "I did bring... the property record card and an independent professional appraisal done," Noto said during her presentation.

In her testimony, Noto described original 1927 windows (about 17 still intact), rotted trim, an aging boiler and hot-water heater, an air-conditioning system that must be updated, and interior needs including refinishing floors and a kitchen more than 30 years old. She also said two of the homes bedrooms are on a third floor, a layout she said can reduce appeal to buyers, and that the driveway configuration is effectively shared with a neighbor.

Noto said appraiser Boster relied on October 1, 2025 comparables, made condition and age adjustments, and gave weight to a sales-comparison analysis. Noto said Boster adjusted comparable sale prices for differences such as finished basements and complete remodels that Notos home lacks, and that most adjusted comparables came in under the $1,265,000 figure Noto proposed. On the appraisal paperwork, participants noted an inspection date of 12/31/2025 and a report date of 01/01/2026.

Board member Laura OBrien thanked Noto for the materials and reminded her that any change to an assessment will be decided by the full board, not by the single member conducting the hearing. "I'm one person on the board, and the board in total will decide what the adjustment might be," OBrien said. The board did not issue a decision at the hearing; OBrien said the full docket and many appeals remain to be considered.

The appeals board will review the record and the independent appraisal before the full board determines whether to modify the assessment.