If you own a home in Greensboro or anywhere in Guilford County, you’ve probably been riding a financial roller coaster over the last few weeks.

Earlier this year, many of you received those new 2026 property revaluation notices in the mail. Looking at how much your home’s value had grown since 2022, your first thought was likely: “Wow, my equity looks amazing!” followed immediately by:“Oh no, what is this going to do to my tax bill?”

Local city and county managers tried to ease those fears by proposing significant cuts to our tax rates. But on June 19, 2026, a last-minute law from Raleigh completely flipped the script.

As your real estate advisor, I want to break down exactly what happened, what it means for your upcoming tax bills, and how it impacts your home’s value today.

The Plot Twist: Senate Bill 889:

Just as our local governments were finalizing their budgets, Governor Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 889 into law. This bill placed a one-year moratorium on the 2026 property tax reappraisals for 12 North Carolina counties, including Guilford.

The Reality: The state has effectively hit the "pause" button on those high 2026 home valuations. For the upcoming tax year, your property’s assessed value is frozen at its 2025 level.

The Catch: Because the county and the city can no longer use those higher 2026 values to generate their necessary revenue, they had to pivot instantly. To fund schools, emergency services, and city infrastructure, they had to raise the tax rates on our older, lower 2025 property values.

Here is exactly how the City of Greensboro and Guilford County responded to the sudden shift.

Because both local government boards had to rewrite their budgets in a matter of days, we are seeing notable rate hikes across the board.

Guilford County Tax Rate:

On June 25, 2026, the County Commissioners passed their revised budget. Instead of the major rate cut originally discussed, they had to increase the rate to cover their obligations (including county schools).

The New Rate: 78.95 cents per $100 of value.

The Change: An increase of 5.9 cents over last year.

City of Greensboro Tax Rate

The City Council faced an even tighter squeeze, passing their budget on June 16. City Manager Trey Davis had initially proposed dropping the city rate down to 58.30 cents. Without the new valuations to support that, the council had to implement a steep hike.

The New Rate: 79.85 cents per $100 of value.

The Change: A sharp 12.6-cent increase over last year.

Three Things You Need to Know as a Homeowner

1. Your Bill Will Be Late This Summer

Property tax bills usually arrive in July. Because of the frantic budget rewrites, the county expects to mail bills out by Saturday, August 15, 2026. Keep in mind that the early payment discount deadline hasn't changed if you pay by August 31, 2026, you still get your 1% discount.

2. Your 2026 Revaluation Isn't Gone, It's Just Delayed

Don't throw away that revaluation notice you got in February! The state law simply postponed it.Those higher 2026 values will go into effect for your 2027 tax bill, and the state has confirmed we are not scheduled to have another property revaluation until 2027. If you submitted an appeal on your new value this spring, the county will still process it, and any adjustments will apply to next year's bill. You actually have until May 17, 2027, to appeal.

3. This Does Not Change the Market Value of Your Home

This is the most crucial takeaway for my buyers and sellers: Tax value is not the same as market value. The state freezing your tax assessment at 2025 levels does not mean your home lost the equity it gained over the last few years. If you want to sell your home today, buyers are still looking at what properties are actually selling for in your neighborhood right now not what the county tax office says on a delayed budget sheet.

The county has explicitly stated that anyone who has already applied for or is receiving state-approved property tax relief programs does not need to reapply. Their relief will automatically transfer and apply to the updated 2025-level bills this August.

The Bottom Line

Your property value is staying flat for one more year, but your tax rate is going up. Guilford County homeowners will not face another property revaluation until 2027. For most Greensboro homeowners, this means your total tax bill this August will be higher than last year's, but it won't be calculated against that big equity jump we saw in February.

If your mortgage payment includes an escrow account for taxes, be prepared for your lender to adjust your monthly payment slightly once these new bills go out in August to prevent a shortage.

According to Guilford County, after the 2026 values go into effect for 2027, the county will return to its standard cycle, meaning the next scheduled general reappraisal won't be until 2032

Are you wondering how these new tax rates will impact your monthly holding costs, or curious about what your home would actually fetch on the open market today despite the tax freeze? Let’s grab a cup of coffee and look at the numbers together!