Department of Assessments
201 South Jackson Street, Room 708
Seattle, WA 98104 Office Hours:
Mon - Fri
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. TEL: 206-296-7300
FAX: 206-296-5107
TTY: 206-296-7888 Send us mail | |
Glossary of terms for residential parcels
| BIAS |
| A statistic is said to be biased if the expected value of that statistic is
not equal to the population parameter being estimated. A process is said to be biased
if it produces results that vary systematically with some factor that should be
irrelevant. In assessment administration, assessment progressivity (regressivity)
is one kind of possible bias.
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BUILDING CONDITION |
| Relative to age and
grade. Coded 1-5.
1 = Poor- Worn out. Repair and overhaul needed on painted surfaces, roofing, plumbing, heating and numerous functional inadequacies.
Excessive deferred maintenance and abuse, limited value-in-use, approaching abandonment or major reconstruction;
reuse or change in occupancy is imminent. Effective age is near the end of the scale regardless of the actual
chronological age.
2 = Fair- Badly worn. Much repair needed. Many items need refinishing or overhauling, deferred maintenance
obvious, inadequate building utility and systems all shortening the life expectancy and increasing the effective
age.
3 = Average- Some evidence of deferred maintenance and normal obsolescence with age in that a few minor repairs
are needed, along with some refinishing. All major components still functional and contributing toward an
extended life expectancy. Effective age and utility is standard for like properties of its class and usage.
4 = Good- No obvious maintenance required but neither is everything new. Appearance and utility are above the
standard and the overall effective age will be lower than the typical property.
5= Very Good- All items well maintained, many having been overhauled and repaired as they have shown signs of
wear, increasing the life expectancy and lowering the effective age with little deterioration or obsolescence
evident with a high degree of utility.
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BUILDING GRADE |
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Represents the construction quality of improvements. Grades run from grade 1 to 13.
Generally defined as:
| 1-3 | Falls short of minimum building standards. Normally cabin or inferior structure |
| 4 | Generally older, low quality construction. Does not meet code. |
| 5 | Low construction costs and workmanship. Small, simple design. |
| 6 | Lowest grade currently meeting building code. Low quality materials and simple designs. |
| 7 | Average grade of construction and design. Commonly seen in plats and older sub-divisions. |
| 8 | Just above average in construction and design. Usually better materials in both the exterior and interior finish work. |
| 9 | Better architectural design with extra interior and exterior design and quality. |
| 10 | Homes of this quality generally have high quality features. Finish work is better and more design quality is seen in the floor plans. Generally have a larger square footage. |
| 11 | Custom design and higher quality finish work with added amenities of solid woods, bathroom fixtures and more luxurious options. |
| 12 | Custom design and excellent builders. All materials are of the highest quality and all conveniences are present. |
| 13 | Generally custom designed and built. Mansion level. Large amount of highest quality cabinet work, wood trim, marble, entry ways etc. |
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