July 2025 Downs Property Digest

Vickie A. Downs
Jul 31
3 min read

A Message from Your Property Appraiser, Vickie A. Downs

Hi friends,

July has been an exciting month here at the Property Appraiser’s Office! I’m thrilled to announce that our newly renovated lobby is now complete and open to the public. The space is not only more comfortable with seating available, but is now fully ADA accessible, reflecting our ongoing commitment to inclusivity and better service for all residents. In addition, our completely redesigned website is now live! We’ve removed disruptive pop-ups, enhanced the property search tools, and streamlined the entire user experience. Whether you're a homeowner, business owner, or industry professional, I encourage you to explore the new features at collierappraiser.com. Thank you for allowing us to serve you and for your continued trust in our office.

Warmly,

Vickie A. Downs

Collier County Property Appraiser

🔁 Property Assessment Cycle

The Collier County Property Appraiser’s Office is responsible for annually locating, identifying, and valuing real and tangible personal property for purposes of ad valorem taxation. Our certified professionals work year-round to meet strict deadlines from the Florida Department of Revenue. On July 1, we submitted the 2025 Preliminary Tax Roll! Our tax roll was just approved by the Department of Revenue on July 31st. The total taxed value in Collier County is approximately $229 billion. This is a key milestone in the property assessment cycle. We thank our team for their commitment to accuracy and transparency in service to the residents of Collier County.

📣 TRIM Notices will be mailed out soon!

TRIM Notices (Notices of Proposed Property Taxes) will be mailed out on August 18 to all property owners in Collier County. These notices provide essential information, including your property’s just value, assessed value, exemptions, and proposed tax rates set by local taxing authorities. While the TRIM notice is not a bill, it gives you the chance to review your property’s valuation and participate in the public budget process before final tax rates are adopted. Be sure to watch your mailbox and review the notice carefully once it arrives. If you have questions about your property’s value or exemptions, our office is here to help.

🎉 Congratulations, Cosme & Tim!

Join us in congratulating two incredible members of our team, Cosme Diaz, Senior Data Entry, and Tim Abrams, Director of Agriculture, on reaching their 10-year work anniversaries with the Collier County Property Appraiser’s Office! Their dedication, expertise, and commitment to excellence have made a lasting impact on our office and the residents we serve. We are grateful for their continued service and proud to celebrate this important milestone with them!

📣 Out in the Community

This month, we were proud to participate in a local outreach session with Heights Title Services, GED Law, and Marzucco Real Estate on 5th Avenue.

I was joined by:

Annabel Ybaceta, Director of Homestead & Customer Service
Jenny Plock, Director of Data Management & Tax Roll Compliance

We discussed our office’s role, how homestead exemptions work, fraud prevention tools, and answered questions from real estate professionals. Thank you to our hosts for the opportunity to connect and educate!

💡FAQ Spotlight: Protect Your Property from Fraud

Q: What’s one easy thing I can do to protect my property from fraud?

A: Enroll in the Clerk’s Risk Alert Program.

Scammers can file fake deeds, liens, or mortgages to steal property or delay sales. Collier County residents can now get notified when any document is recorded against their property.

Sign up today to stay protected:👉 https://cor.collierclerk.com/coraccess/alerts

✅ Need Info Now? Check Out Our Website

Whether you're a homeowner or a business owner, we encourage you to visit our office online at collierappraiser.com. You’ll find:

Tools to file for Homestead Exemption
Resources for Tangible Personal Property
FAQs, forms, deadlines, and more
Contact info, office hours, and directions
And now, the option to sign up for this monthly digest straight to your inbox!

We’re working hard to make your experience with our office as smooth and helpful as possible — 24/7. Did you know you can now do a self-service data download for your files? Learn more, along with instructions, on our website at collierappraiser.com.

Invite Us to Speak at Your Next Event

Did you know that educating our community is one of our top priorities? Property Appraiser Vickie A. Downs and our knowledgeable staff love connecting with local residents, real estate professionals, civic groups, and schools to help demystify what our office does — and why it matters. Whether it’s explaining property valuation, homestead exemptions, or how your tax dollars are calculated, we’re here to help! Interested in having a speaker from our office? Email vdowns@collierappraiser.com to request a speaker for your next meeting or event.

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