Join host Will Jarvis as he presents a live session at a NYSAA meeting on how modern AI tools can help property tax assessors work more efficiently. Will breaks down how large language models actually work, their strengths and weaknesses including hallucinations and privacy concerns, and shares best practices for prompting these models to get the best results. The session covers real-world use cases like drafting taxpayer correspondence, summarizing legislation, and processing refunds, and highlights free tools including ValPal, RatioPal, and other resources built specifically for assessors.

• 00:00 - Introduction to Will Jarvis and Valuebase's mission to build AI tools for assessors
• 02:45 - What is a large language model and how the underlying technology actually works
• 06:30 - Why LLMs mimic reasoning rather than truly reasoning, and what that means for users
• 07:30 - Real-world use cases: refund processing, email management, and extending office capacity
• 08:45 - Strengths of LLMs: writing, summarizing, researching, and brainstorming
• 09:30 - Weaknesses: hallucinations, math errors, out-of-date knowledge, and privacy concerns
• 12:45 - Best practices for prompting: clarity, context, examples, roles, and even flattery
• 15:45 - Free tools recommended: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity
• 18:15 - Practical use cases: taxpayer correspondence, legal document summaries, and reusable prompt libraries
• 19:30 - Introduction to ValPal and its New York State property tax model
• 21:00 - Audience Q&A: using AI to translate legislation and summarize new exemption laws
• 23:00 - Overview of additional free tools: RatioPal, AgePal, AskDocs, and the depreciation table builder

Join host Will Jarvis as he sits down with Cameron White, a commercial appraiser and new team member at Valuebase, to break down the income approach to commercial property valuation. Cameron shares his journey from residential mass appraisal to the commercial world, walks through the step-by-step mechanics of the income approach—including cap rates, net operating income, and effective gross income—and discusses the challenges of defending valuations in appeals. The conversation also explores how Cameron's passion for trading cards offers surprising parallels to real estate appraisal, from market dynamics and comparable sales to the people skills that give you an edge.

• 00:00 - Introduction and Cameron White's background in mass appraisal and commercial property assessment
• 02:42 - Why the income approach is harder to grasp than sales comparison or cost approaches
• 04:10 - Step-by-step walkthrough of the income approach: PGI, EGI, NOI, and cap rates
• 06:00 - What is a capitalization rate and what does it tell you about a property?
• 07:13 - How appraisers arrive at cap rates using market studies and sales data
• 09:37 - The biggest challenge with the income approach: defending your valuation in appeals
• 10:38 - Transitioning from residential to commercial appraisal and adjusting to the scale
• 11:36 - Hardest commercial property types to value: vacant land, brownfield sites, and one-off cases
• 14:18 - How tax burden shifts to commercial properties and the impact on small businesses
• 16:25 - Trading cards and real estate: parallels in market dynamics, comps, and supply and demand
• 19:50 - Getting an edge in competitive markets through people skills and inventory knowledge
• 21:00 - Cameron's early impressions of working at Valuebase

Join host Will Jarvis at the Missouri Assessors' Conference in Branson as he sits down with Bob Boyer, Jefferson County Assessor, to discuss the challenges of personal property tax in Missouri, the push for e-filing and digital modernization, and efforts to reform outdated valuation statutes. Bob shares how his background as a land surveyor and county councilman shaped his approach to running a 32-person office, explains the complexities of the Hancock Amendment and levy rollbacks, and offers his perspective on fighting dark store theory and bogus appraisal claims. As Bob puts it, property taxes are like a big piece of pie — somebody's gonna eat it, and his job is making sure the burden is shared fairly.

• 00:00 - Introduction and welcome from the Missouri Assessors' Conference in Branson
• 00:36 - Bob Boyer's background: Jefferson County Assessor, former county councilman, land surveyor, and licensed real estate appraiser
• 01:00 - Transitioning from county council to the assessor's office and learning how the office operated
• 03:00 - How land surveying experience with deeds, plats, and GIS mapping carried over to the assessor role
• 04:00 - Implementing e-filing for personal property assessments and reducing paper-based processes
• 06:00 - The personal property tax debate in Missouri: why elimination is difficult and how education helps
• 09:00 - Policy reform: the Hancock Amendment, levy rollback loopholes, and the push for legislative fixes
• 11:30 - The behavioral economics of visible vs. invisible taxes: personal property versus real estate escrow
• 14:00 - Reforming vehicle valuation: moving from JD Power trade-in values to MSRP-based depreciation schedules
• 17:00 - Real estate valuation in a non-disclosure state: cost approach, ratio studies, and staying in compliance
• 20:45 - The future of the profession: dark store theory battles, tax exemption challenges, and protecting residential taxpayers
• 23:45 - Advice for newly elected assessors: observe, learn from experienced staff, and be the head cheerleader for your office
• 25:15 - Where to find Bob Boyer: jeffcomo.gov/assessor and Facebook