Effective age is the apparent age of your property based on its current condition, maintenance, and updates—as opposed to chronological age (when it was actually built). A well-maintained 50-year-old home might have an effective age of 25 years, while a neglected 20-year-old home might have an effective age of 35 years.
Appraisal districts use effective age in the cost approach to calculate depreciation. A lower effective age means less depreciation and higher value. If the county assigns an effective age that's younger than reality, you're being overvalued.
Effective age appears on your property record card and directly affects your improvement value calculation.
Effective age is a key protest point because it's subjective—and the county often gets it wrong.
Check your property record card for:
• The effective age or "year effective" field
• Whether it reflects reality
• How it compares to actual age
Argue for HIGHER effective age if:
• Home has original kitchen/bathrooms from decades ago
• Systems are dated (HVAC, electrical, plumbing)
• Deferred maintenance is visible
• Functional issues exist (layout, room sizes)
Evidence that helps:
• Photos of dated features
• Comparison to truly renovated homes
• Dates of original components (HVAC, roof)
A higher effective age = more depreciation = lower improvement value.
Chronological age vs. effective age:
Scenario 1: Renovated older home
• Built: 1975 (chronological age: 50 years)
• Major renovation: 2015 (new kitchen, baths, systems)
• Effective age: 15-20 years
• Result: Less depreciation, higher value (appropriate)
Scenario 2: Neglected newer home
• Built: 2005 (chronological age: 20 years)
• Never updated, deferred maintenance
• Should have effective age: 30+ years
• If county shows effective age: 15 years
• Result: Not enough depreciation, overvalued
Scenario 3: Average maintenance
• Built: 2000 (chronological age: 25 years)
• Normal updates, average condition
• Effective age: approximately 25 years (matches actual)
Check your property record card, available from your appraisal district website or office. It may be listed as "effective year built" or "effective age." Compare to your actual year built to see if the county is over- or understating your home's condition.
Yes. Major renovations (kitchen, bathrooms, systems, additions) can reset portions of your effective age younger, reducing depreciation and increasing value. This is one reason some homeowners avoid pulling permits for updates—though that creates other risks.
Challenge it in your protest. Bring photos showing dated features, document original components, and argue for a more realistic effective age. If your 1990 home with original everything is showing effective age of 15 years, that's clearly wrong.